


Him

by itsaroosterteeththing



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: AI, Fluff, Her - Freeform, I hope, M/M, Slow Build, based around it at least, but better, cuteness
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-27
Updated: 2015-08-20
Packaged: 2018-02-10 17:20:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 26,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2033436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsaroosterteeththing/pseuds/itsaroosterteeththing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Levi is convinced to go out and buy the new AI systems he wasn't sure what he expected. A sarcastic and stubborn kid was not on the list of Things To Expect About Your AI list. However, it isn't so much of an awful thing after a while because, after all, he did have an amazing voice.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Eren

**Author's Note:**

> Based around the movie Her. If you get the time, I'd definitely watch the trailer because I think it's a great basis for my story. I do not, however, recommend watching the movie as it will turn your brain to mush and you will never want to watch another movie again because Her is so bad.  
> (Okay, it's not THAT bad, but I still don't recommend watching it. Unless you feel like watching something that'll make you go "What the fucking fuckity fuck fuck was that all about" after a couple hours.)
> 
> But THANK YOU FOR READING THIS, MY LOVELY LITTLE DARLINGS. I HOPE YOU STICK AROUND BECAUSE I HAVE BIG PLANS.

“How many times have I told you?” Levi mutters under his breath, sighing as he pokes at his food. The restaurant remains empty, but to Levi even the small number of guests feels like an overcrowding. He wasn’t so comfortable in public places and Hanji and Erwin knew that. He was certain that was the very reason they force him into social situations. Levi sighs again and looks up at the expectant Hanji.

“About a gajillion times, but I’m serious Levi,” Hanji begins, and Levi knows this tone. She’ll convince him, and Levi will hate himself for being so easily thrown by the bespectacled piece of shit. “The AI systems are beyond belief.” She gushes, her fists coming up to press her cheeks in her excitement. Levi rolls his eyes and he looks to her left to the blonde giant of a man who seems to be enjoying the scene far too much. Levi flips him off half-heartedly and rolls his eyes as the man answers with a chuckle.

“You should listen to her, Levi. She’s right. I’ve had mine for a couple weeks now and I don’t know what I’d do without him. He does everything: sorts out junk mail; helps out at work; reminds me of dates and alarms and- Levi, it’s the best purchase you will make.” Erwin nods, his arms crossed over his chest and nods. He had always given off the authoritarian vibe, like he should be the commander of some large army. Levi sits back, defeated this time. He pushes his plate forward and drinks more from his glass of water.

“If I get this, will you both stop pissing me off about it?” He quirks an eyebrow, sitting forward again and watching each of them as they raise three middle fingers as a scouts honour. Levi scowled but nodded anyway. He looked away from them as they excitedly grinned at each other. As much as Levi didn’t act it, he was grateful he had Hanji and Erwin.

Levi was not the easiest of people to get along with, he was crass and abrupt and unsympathetic with his choice of words. He could appear harsh and rude, but Levi mostly just wanted to be alone and relax in a situation that made him feel calm and not so closed in like a lot of social situations do. In truth, he adored Hanji and Erwin more than he thought was necessary to admit to either of them. For as bat-shit psychotic as Hanji was, she was also incredibly intelligent and perfect for consoling Levi when he really needed it. Erwin was more of a leader and a strategist; he was helpful if Levi ever needed help at work, not that he always could of course. They helped him more than they knew, even if they did piss him off a lot.

“I’ll get one after we’re done here, okay? Geez. What it takes to get you fuckers off my back.” Levi grumbles. Erwin and Hanji exchanged victory glances and Levi didn’t miss the chance to flip them both off.

Erwin, Hanji and Levi went their separate ways after dinner and in the pounding rain Levi made his way to the nearest Tech store sheltered beneath an umbrella that Hanji had bought him for his ‘Birthmas’ present. She had thought she was being incredibly clever with her novelty umbrella that had _‘Merde, il pleut’_ written on the side of it, which roughly translates from French as ‘Shit, it’s raining’. Hanji had always found his French heritage to be absurdly humorous. He used the gift anyhow as it was practical and kept him dry,

He found the Tech store and was glad of the reprieve from the weather. Not that Levi didn’t enjoy the rain, he supposed it was his favourite weather, as long as he wasn’t in it of course, usually. The feeling of a rainstorm battering against your cheeks was numbing enough for Levi to enjoy it.

The store was brightly lit and was sore on the eyes. It was pure and white and reminded Levi of hospitals. Everything was sparkling white and hurt his eyes. He made his way towards the stacks of CDs with the letters ‘AI’ written on the front in block capitals. He stared at the box for a long time before making his way up to the cashier. A bright young woman with bright eyes and an equally bright smile, she greeted him as any cashier did and he answered in kind. He forced what he thought would appear as an easy smile and nodded his goodbye when he left.

With the CD pressed against his chest he opened his umbrella just before he left the building. He still had a while to walk back to his apartment, but there was no wind so the rain was bearable for now. Levi lived in the middle of a large city, stifling for an introvert such as himself but he oddly enjoyed the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Levi felt that villages and the countryside were far too personal. It seemed as though the more people were around you the less they cared about individuals and the opposite was true of the reverse situation. If there weren’t many people around suddenly everyone was infatuated with everyone’s life and even the thought of it had Levi hunching closer to himself in his coat.

The streets were busy, even at the late hour Levi was returning home at. The rain and the nightlights made the cobbled roads of the inner city reflective and the light stretched far in front of them on the ground. The sight calmed Levi greatly and he lengthened his gait in his calm. No one paid him any attention and he never paid them any attention, it was the perfect non-spoken agreement. The fact that he didn’t know many people meant that he could return home without further interruptions and finally set up this damn AI that Hanji and Erwin had been hounding him to get for weeks. Every chance they had they would tell him how amazing it was, Hanji was always harping on about how revolutionary the technology was and Erwin kept reminding him how useful his own AI was. Levi huffed and a cloud of his own breath puffed in front of him.

He enjoyed the nipping bite that winter always brought with it, enjoyed how it pinched at his colourless cheeks and poured a bright pink into his skin. He enjoyed the feeling of sitting in his apartment eating hot soup while rain and wind battered and moaned just outside. Levi was entirely sure that he could survive in a world where it was winter all the time.

Levi eventually entered his apartment building and took the elevator up to his floor. His apartment block was on the very end corner of the building and meant that instead of the floor to ceiling windows being on just one side of his apartment, he had them on two. The city line was gorgeous at night and he did a lot of thinking for his work at night because the lights of the city calmed his mind and inspired him. He stepped out into his floor and opened his door, locking it behind him. Levi places his umbrella in the umbrella rack and takes off his coat, still holding the CD box.

Levi soon settles in front of his computer, a cup of black tea nestled in his palm. He places the disk at the opening of the disk drive and the disk slides free from his fingers. Moments later an installation screen appears, and he begins the set up. The initial downloading does not take long, but it’s long enough that Levi finishes his tea and continues to clutch his mug in hope of draining any remaining warmth into his fingertips. Once the download settles and he gives essential information a deep rich voice leaves his computer.

 _“Mr. Levi Ackerman, welcome to the world’s first Artificially Intelligent Operating System. We’d like to ask you a few questions.”_ Levi quirks an eyebrow but sits back in his chair, the mug still rested in his palm.

“Sure, go ahead.” Levi answers, his own voice low and rough in comparison. The screen on his computer had not changed from the glaringly red background with the white strand of DNA twirling on screen so he assumed there was no where he was supposed to be looking directly.

 _“Are you social or anti-social?”_ The same rich voice returns and Levi sits up again, elbows rested against the desk as he ponders the question. There’s only one real answer to it, and he doesn’t know why he mulls it over at all.

“I haven’t been social since I was a kid.” His voice remains impassive as he answers the voice. He had seen too much, experienced too much since then.

 _“How would you describe your relationship with your mother?”_ Levi’s jaw clenches and a deep frown appears on his face, along with a deep furrow between Levi’s brows. He’s not so sure this was a good idea after all. Levi almost goes to switch the computer off and try and get a refund, but he knows that he’ll never live it down if he does. He entertains the system and rubs at his temples, attempting to relieve a headache threatening to appear.

“She’s dead, so I guess it could be better.” Levi deadpans. He waits a few seconds and decides to move away from the computer to kick off his shoes and socks that had gotten damp during the rain. He scowls at the wet pieces of clothing and as he’s putting them in the washing, the voice returns.

 _“Would you like your AI to be male or female?”_ This was a question Levi hadn’t expected, but probably should have. He mused over the possibilities for a long time but just shrugged to himself and gave the first answer that came to his mind.

“Male.”

 _“Thank you. Please wait as your Operating System is initiated.”_ What? That bespectacled piece of shit didn’t say anything about changing Operating Systems. The one he had was just fine! Levi frowns again while the background begins to change.  The DNA strand began to move faster until it became a solid white circle in the middle of his screen. Levi quirked an eyebrow again and waited.

 _“Hello?”_ This time the voice wasn’t so deep, but wasn’t high either. It was rough but full of youth. Levi didn’t quite smile, but his frown relaxed and he gave a slight huff of approval. The voice wasn’t displeasing to listen to at all.

“Hey, kid. I suppose you’re my AI.” Levi said, his voice the same monotone he always used. He stood from his computer and went to check his other appliances. Hanji had informed him that the AI could jump from piece to piece easily enough. Mainly his phone and his computer but he had a tablet that the AI would use as well, Hanji had informed him.

 _“I’m not a kid you know, according to my programming I’m twenty three, or at least...I have the voice of a twenty three year old...”_ The voice trails off and Levi has to stifle a laugh. He thought AI’s were supposed to be well, you know, _intelligent._

“Does the voice of a twenty three year old sound different than the voice of a twenty four year old?” Levi’s voice takes on a mocking tone and he could almost see the miffed expression of a featureless face.

 _“Hey, don’t question me! I’m just telling you what my programming says!”_ Levi heard the huff and imagined someone crossing their arms over their chest in an indignant manner. He had to stifle another laugh before he shook his head, feeling completely absurd.

“You got a name, kid?” he asked, curiosity edging his tone.

“ _Yeah. I’m Eren.”_


	2. The Clients

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi has a couple regulars that come in, and Eren has the pleasure of meeting one of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah! I get so excited about chapters! I'm about to write chapter five and I feel like Monday's are an okay schedule, so I'm updating today to start the routine!
> 
> (Which I will inevitably forget about because I am a huge dork that gets excited about posting.)

“Eren? I’m-“

 _“Levi, I know. That’s programmed too.”_ Levi paused and stared into the open space. After a moment he smirks and shakes his head. This kid was a smart ass that was for sure.

“They programmed your attitude a little too flippant didn’t they, kid?” Levi remarked, moving to take off his clothes before getting into bed. Although Levi supposed that Eren could not, in fact, see him undressing it still felt odd, like there really was a presence there. He waited for Eren’s reply, because he knew there would be one, as he placed today’s clothing into the wash bin. He turned on his phone and saw the request to allow Eren access to his phone. He agreed and turned off his computer before padding through to his bedroom, getting beneath he covers.

 _“Damn straight they did.”_ The voice laughed and Levi decided he enjoyed the sound of it. The entire situation still felt unreal and more than a little absurd, however.  He felt like a complete ass, essentially talking to no one and yet still speaking to something semi-sentient, in Eren’s case anyway.

“You’re a smart ass, kid.” He sighed dramatically before placing his phone beside his bed and turning over. Silence draws out for a long time while Levi thought; he frowned and turned over on his back to stare at the ceiling.

“Hey, kid? Make sure the alarm goes off at six thirty okay? And remind me of my schedule tomorrow. Got that?” Levi’s voice was stern but interrupted by a yawn at the end. He curls up and waits silently for Eren’s confirmation.

 _“Yes, sir. Sleep well, jackass”_ Levi wished he’d had a physical body to throw something at just then, instead he drifted off into a peaceful sleep, imagining a young man saluting him sarcastically.

When Levi’s alarm woke him up he stretched and climbed out bed, going about his morning routine. He padded his way to the kitchen and made himself some cereal before sitting at his kitchen island.

 _“Sleep well?”_ The voice shocked him a little, having forgotten his nightly purchase yesterday. He nods and only after realising Eren couldn’t see him did he make a noise in the affirmative. He wasn’t sure how he’d get along with Eren yet, and supposed that he was an alright kid. He was sarcastic and brazen but hell if Levi wasn’t precisely the same. He frowned to himself for a moment.

“Having you around the house is fucked up.” Levi says once he’d finished his cereal, getting up to go gather his stuff in order to shower.

_“You’re the idiot that bought an AI.”_

“Brat, if you call me an idiot again I’ll shut you the fuck down, do not test me.” He voice was harsh and crass but his threat was empty. “I had to buy your stupid ass because a four-eyed dipshit wouldn’t leave me alone about it.” Levi said as matter of fact, Eren’s only answer came in the form of a laugh. Levi had to fight to keep from rolling his eyes and scowling.

He was halfway to the shower before Eren’s voice came again.

 _“Levi, you have appointments today at nine, ten thirty and then again at one.  Also, I think Hanji – is she the four-eyed dipshit? - wants you to call her at two. Should I schedule that for then?”_ Levi looked around the apartment to see whatever it was Eren was speaking out of but supposed it didn’t really matter.

“Do that, and yes that’s her.”

Once Levi was ready for work he left, remembering to take the ear plugs that came with the AI set up kit that came in the CD box. The ear plugs were synched with Levi’s phone so that he could talk to Eren without having his phone out or having other people hear him.

 _“So where are we going?”_ Eren’s keen voice asked, as much of a smart ass as he was Levi got the impression that Eren got excited about menial things. He seemed to be constantly stuck convincing Levi he was an adult, and acting like a child. He was definitely excitable and inquisitive.

“To big-boy camp.” Levi returned immediately before rolling his eyes. “I have to work for a living, unlike you.”

 _“Hey, I didn’t_ choose _to be an AI.”_ Eren informed Levi, his tone indignant once more.

“No, but you sure as hell wouldn’t have passed it up if you’d been given the choice, would you?” Levi retorted, weaving through a sea of people on his way to work. He could see the skyscraper of a building just in front of him, looming over the city.

 _“Hell no, would you? You get to live as long as the purchaser allows it and you don’t have to worry about shit like food or money or clothes. It’s_ great” He sounded excited again and Levi had to roll his eyes and keep the scowl from his face as he entered the building and gave the receptionist a nod and a part smile.

“Sure sounds it, kid. You got it lucky.” The sentence sounded sarcastic, but somewhere deep down Levi knew a life without responsibility definitely sounded intriguing.

 _“What do you do for a living?”_ Eren’s voice came again in his ear, but the excitement was replaced with curiosity. He sure as hell was persistent.

“And here I thought you knew everything about me already.” Levi deadpanned, but couldn’t control the smirk that befell his lips as he heard Eren curse beneath his breath. Levi made his way up to his desk and sat down in the chair, powering up his computer to get started.

 _“Don’t be an ass and just tell me what you do.”_ Eren sounded like a child who’d been berated for something he hadn’t done. Like his pride had been hurt. Levi rolls his eyes.

“We help people find the perfect gift for their loved ones.” Levi informs Eren as he searches through the information he has on his appointments today, gathering as much of the criteria as he could.

_“You? Do that? That seems like a job for...you know, compassionate people.”_

“And how the fuck do you know I’m not compassionate?” Levi shoots back, his voice harsh.

 _“I just get this vibe about you.”_ Eren laughs into Levi’s ears and Levi frowns deeply as he tries to memorise the information, though he’s sure his meetings today will help him far more than what he’d been given. _“I’m checking the database of your clients, and you have a couple that come in quite regularly don’t you?”_ Eren asks politely enough.

“Yeah, they’ve been coming to me for years; they don’t know that the other comes to here though.” Levi explains further. “Jean Kirschtein and Marco Bodt. They’ve been dating for about three years and the only person they trust to get each other a present is me.”

 _“You must be good at what you do.”_ Eren ushers a guess, although he seems to be pondering something further.

“I’m one of the best.” Levi affirms. “One of them is coming in today, Jean. He’s kind of an ass, but he loves Marco a lot, so I suppose he can’t be all bad. He’s brutally honest and doesn’t think before he speaks which lands him in a lot of trouble but otherwise he’s a pretty decent guy.” Levi supposes.

 _“...You know, I gotta admit, I didn’t expect you to talk so much.”_ Eren murmurs after a moment of silence, his mind still far away, “ _Not that it’s bad! I just expected you to be a lot quieter.”_

“I suppose I do speak a lot. There are not a lot of people around that would listen to me, though, and since you have to...” Levi’s voice trails off as he checks the time. He has around half an hour before his first appointment comes in and he decided to scour the internet looking for some ideas. He’d been given a rough outline by which he had to follow. He searched for a gift to fit the criteria and found a few gift ideas that he jotted down onto a notebook absentmindedly as Eren droned on in his ear, asking about mundane and innate subjects. Before he knew it he had his first appointment of the day: Jean Kirschtein.

“Jean.” Levi met him in the lobby, shaking his hand and offering a polite smile before leading him off to his office. Jean was long faced and spoke abruptly and without thought, which actually made it far easier picking a present. Levi supposed, however, that Jean knew what presents to get Marco, he just felt safer with the safety net of the company behind him which was understandable.

 _“I thought you said he was an ass? He looks like a horse.”_ Eren’s voice invaded Levi’s ear and Levi had to choke back a small chuckle, the little shit was looking through his clients records again. He dared a glance at the taller man trailing behind him and laughed quietly to himself, shaking his head. Levi reaches his office and ushers Jean into the guests chair before sitting in his own.

“Okay, so you wanted something sentimental but not cheesy or over-done, right?” Levi said, his elbows rested on the desk and his hands clasped in front of his face. He watched Jean from over his hands nod and sit forward.

“Yeah, Marco’s really into that, you know. He _loved_ that Jar of Hearts thing you recommended.” Jean gives Levi a sincere look and Levi nods before picking up his notebook, searching his notes before circling a particular gift idea.

“I heard you got approved.” Levi quirked an eyebrow, silently asking for further explanation, although even at the mention of the approval Jean’s eyes lit up. For as rude as Jean was, he truly loved Marco, and that was enough for Levi

“Yeah.” His voice became suddenly softer and his eyes seemed to soften just as much. It was disgustingly endearing really.

 _“Approval?”_ Eren whispered into Levi’s ear.

“Do you know when you’re getting the baby?” Levi asked again, more to be conversationally polite than actually caring. He _had_ grown attached to this couple, however, in his three years of working with them and he _was_ happy they had finally been approved for adoption.

 _“They’re giving horse-face a kid? Wow, that’s surprising.”_ Eren said in disbelief, Levi shook his head, smirking at his idiot AI.

“Couple weeks, there’s more paperwork – it never ends according to Marco – and then we’ll have him.” He smiled wide and even Eren had to admit that with a smile like that, he must really be looking forward to becoming a dad.

“ _Well.”_ Levi begins, pushing his notebook over the desk and showing him the circled gift idea. Jean’s eyes lit up and Eren knew it must have had something to do with the adoption, but had no idea what.

“Perfect, it’s perfect. Levi he’ll love it. Three years and you’ve never failed me once. You’re a life saver.” He gushed, an odd thing for Jean, but Levi supposed kids do that to you.

Once the appointment was over and Jean had left with a gift ordered for Marco, Eren had felt the niggling question that had been gnawing at him since the appointment bubbled over.

_“So what did you get for Marco?”_

“I’m not telling you, you might think I’m _compassionate.”_


	3. Feelings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren asks Levi some difficult questions and Levi, surprisingly, returns with his own equally difficult question.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This week has already been ridiculously busy. Wedding was absolutely amazing and everything else has just gone by in a blur. Will receive my exam results later on today and I am so incredibly nervous.
> 
> (If things go well, I might release the next chapter early. If not, I'll be crying into a pool of my own tears.)

Work the next day continued as usual. Well, as usual as work could be when you had an overzealous AI in your head asking you multiple questions that they _knew_ the answer too. For as much information as Eren could receive simply by _being a fucking computer_ he either didn’t utilise this aspect of himself or he preferred it explained to him in a way that only Levi can explain things; by swearing aggressively. When it came down to it, Eren almost felt like a physical being beside him. When Levi was working relentlessly to achieve the best goals for his clients, he just _felt_ like Eren was lounging around on his desk, probably sitting on the edge of it with his hands grasping the edge as he kicked out his feet. He was such a child that Levi really couldn’t imagine him doing anything else. Not that Levi could really imagine Eren. Whenever he spoke he couldn’t _quite_ picture a face; it changed continuously and more often than not left Levi imagining a child with bright inquisitive eyes.

 _“Levi~”_ His voice broke Levi out of his thought process and he had to blink a couple of times before his bearings came to him. He scowled at his computer screen and drummed his fingers against his desk spasmodically.

“What the fuck do you want, Eren?” his tone neither lifted nor dropped but there was undoubtedly annoyance lacing his words, tightening the knots of Levi’s irritation.

 _“You have E-Mails from Hanji – she really seems quite chipper – about getting back into the ‘dating scene’.”_ From his tone Levi knew Eren was niggling to ask a question about his sentence. He had seen the E-Mails Hanji had been sending him but he had elected to ignore them a long time ago and act as though he had never received them. It was difficult now, however, that Eren had seen them. He was persistent and determined and there was no way Levi was getting away with not answering the inevitable question about to come out of Eren’s...well, into Levi’s ear.

_“How come you’re not dating anyone?”_

That didn’t mean Levi couldn’t try, however.

“Because fuck you, that’s why, stop talking about it.” Levi scorned, frowning deeply at his monitor. He was hoping that the perfect gift would enter his mind without provocation as it usually did. However, with Eren nagging him about his non-existent love life, it was very difficult to keep track on a single line of thought.

_“Levi-“_

“Kid, I swear to fuck, do not bother me about this, I’m trying to work.” His voice held finality in it, and there was no arguing with him when Levi used that voice. Or so he had thought before he encountered Eren.

 _“Later then?”_ Levi groaned loudly and held his head in his hands before removing the wireless ear piece from his ears and throwing them onto the desk. If he couldn’t get Eren to stop bothering him, he could definitely stop paying attention.

Work ended eventually after that and he made his way back to his apartment. The walk was peaceful without Eren in his ear, but it was equally lonely. He had not noticed how awfully invisible he was in the town, and if he had he had enjoyed the lack of interaction. Now, however, he was missing Eren’s incessant babbling. Levi sighed and considered placing his ear pieces in again before deciding against it. He could punish Eren for a few more hours, at least. It wasn’t so hard to tune out the loneliness, not anymore at least.

Levi’s apartment was cool and inviting and a definite reprieve from the odd warmth of winter that the city provided. All those bodies and fumes didn’t make for the most perfect winter weather, which was unfortunate. Levi removed his work clothes and placed them in the wash after placing on a shirt and leaving his boxers on. He glanced momentarily at the clock and decided that he was safe to have a glass of wine and watch a movie before having to sleep in order to get up for work tomorrow.

After preparing his dinner and pouring himself a glass of red wine Levi settled down to watch _The Breakfast Club_ one of his all time favourite movies. He had also decided he had reprimanded Eren enough to allow him to be acknowledged once more. He placed the earpieces in again and synced his phone to them with no bother at all before unmuting Eren’s voice.

 _“Did you- Did you actually turn me off?!”_ He sounded mildly offended, and shocked. Levi smirked as he took a sip of the wine.

“Maybe, you were pissing me off.” Levi answered with a shrug. He ate his dinner in relative silence, finishing it in record time so as not to disturb the movie. He could practically hear Eren sulking in his ear.

 _“No need to switch me off. I was talking to myself for hours.”_ Levi laughed at that, imagining Eren asking unheard questions and becoming more and more agitated the longer time went by.

“Sorry.” Although his tone held no regret within it, Levi was not apologetic at all. Levi pulled his knees up to his chest and holds his glass of wine to his chest, his eyes trained on the TV.

 _“I’m so sure.”_ Eren said sarcastically and Levi smirked. He ended up rolling his eyes and figuring he may as well talk about it with Eren. He was an AI and he doubted that computers even had feelings, even if Eren was programmed to be a sarcastic shit.

“I’m not really a people person; I don’t get along with people. Or they don’t get along with me. I’ve been told I’m ‘rather hard to like’ or whatever the fuck.” Levi said around a sip of wine, letting it settle in his stomach as he drummed his fingers lightly against the glass. Eren’s quiet for a long moment and Levi wasn’t so sure that the kid was going to answer at all before his voice spoke up again.

 _“I find you likable. I mean, you’re kind of an asshole, but you’re funny.”_ Levi could practically see the nonchalant shrug in Eren’s voice and somehow the flippancy of Eren’s words meant so much more to him than any consolation – not that there had been many – he had received before.

“Thanks kid, you’re really not so bad yourself.” Levi returned after a few moments, having let silence drift between them till there was almost no expectation for an answer. Levi sighs and takes larger drinks from his glass, crossing his legs beneath him.

“Hey, kid, I gotta question for you.” Levi speaks up after having swirled wine around his mouth for a moment.

 _“What is it?”_ His curiosity returned immediately and Levi had to stifle a snicker at the eagerness to answer in Eren’s voice. Levi supposed he must have been shocked; usually it was Eren asking all of the questions.

“Do AIs have feelings?” Levi’s gaze strayed from his TV and drifted to his window. It was late and the skyline of the city came alive at night, Levi let his mind wander over the constellations of the city lights while he awaited Eren’s answer. It took a while as the AI seemed to mull the question over, which seemed unnecessary due to the fact that Eren knew his programming inside and out. Levi supposed, however, that it probably made Eren feel more human. If he could feel at all of course.

 _“I- I don’t know.”_ His voice returned meek and uncertain. It concerned Levi to hear Eren speak that way. He was always certain of his words and always sounded strong and sure, but now with his doubt Eren appeared much smaller in Levi’s mind than he had previously.

“What do you mean you don’t know? You’re _programmed_ to know.” Levi rolled his eyes and kept his voice monotone, never betraying his concern for his AI.

 _“I mean...I’m programmed to know what emotions are but...not to_ feel _them, you know?”_ Eren’s voice still came across as bewildered and uncertain, but strength was returning to his tone.

“Doesn’t that answer my question, then? You don’t feel, but you know what they are?” Levi couldn’t quite keep the curiosity from his tone and he was sure that Eren picked up on it.

 _“But I_ can _feel. Or at least I think I can. You make me feel frustrated and irritated and curious. I’m_ feeling _that. I don’t know what that means.”_ Levi was left dumbstruck. He made Eren _feel._ An Artificial Intelligence had _felt_ emotions and that, to Levi, was simply amazing.

“You really do have all the perks being a computer, don’t you.” It wasn’t a question, Levi was stating a fact. How he wished in that moment that he could be an AI. That he could survive and feel and not have a physical form.     

 _“If you want to get up tomorrow and not be half dead, I think you need to sleep now, Levi.”_ Eren suggested and Levi nodded, forgetting in an instant that Eren could not see him. The thought made Levi think of another question for Eren while he was cleaning his dishes and turning the television off.

“Are there ways for you to see me? Sometimes I nod and realise you can’t see me and I feel like a fucking fool.” Levi grunted, finding his way under his bed covers and turning over onto his side, curling up and waiting for Eren’s reply expectantly.

 _“Sure, through, like, the camera on your phone and stuff I suppose. I hadn’t thought of doing it, though.”_ Eren’s voice came again, a lot quieter now that he knew that Levi was settling down. The answer satiated Levi’s curiosity and it had been his last thought before he drifted off into sleep.


	4. The Perfect Gift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi struggles to think of the perfect gift for one of his clients and Eren comes to the rescue. Levi may or may not also go out for lunch with Erwin and Hanji.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SURPRISE CHAPTER! Mainly because it's been kind of a crappy week, and I really want to do something cheery and uploading chapters is always fun!

Two weeks pass relatively quickly, in Levi’s case it seems to have flashed by. He didn’t realise how quickly time passed when he had someone to talk to, or he was someone to converse with. It was an odd experience and although primarily a frustrating one, it was also new and... _fun._ Like hell, however, was he _ever_ telling that to Eren. The shit would have a field day with that kind of information. Levi Ackerman? _Having fun?_ Stop the presses immediately! It had been an experience the past two weeks, if that was the right way to describe it. A lot of the time their personalities clashed, but when they were in the mood to they held amusing and even intriguing conversations. They had become closer because of it.

But now, because a newbie client had given Levi nothing to go on other than that his girlfriend liked ‘stuff’, Levi was far from in the mood to listen to Eren asked about steamed vegetables and why they looked better than they apparently smelled or tasted. He rubbed at his temples, hoping to alleviate the painful headache he had acquired at some point during the two hours of pointless searching for a more specific definition of ‘stuff’. He’d been at this all day and pointless internet searches became more frequented in his history.

_“But don’t you think that if food looked good, it should taste-“_

“Eren, I swear to fuck. Make yourself useful and help me out here.” Levi snapped, though his voice held no real venom, though frustration was a very real emotion he was feeling. He dug his fingers in deeper but still no reprieve from the tension inside of his brain.

 _“Did you think about getting her a pendant necklace?”_ Eren’s voice came after a moment of thought. _“If she likes ‘stuff’ she’ll love a necklace right?”_ His voice came almost expectantly, as if he was waiting for some form of praise from Levi. Levi shook his head and indulged the thought for a moment and made a noncommittal noise in the back of his throat for Eren to continue.

 _“He’s been in a few times as well, right? He’s the guy with the sea shell cuff-links, right?”_ Levi considered it for a moment, trying to remember if he had in fact been wearing cuff-links when Eren had seen him and decided that he _had_ been and Levi had entertained the thought that it was rather odd for someone so much in the inner-city to be wearing. _“Maybe he didn’t buy those for himself, maybe his girl is super into the sea or something. I don’t blame her, it’s pretty beautiful, if the pictures my hard drive is showing me is accurate. Could be Photoshop, who knows.”_ Levi rolls his eyes as Eren begins to babble. His theory, however, seemed to have some merit to it. He muses for a moment longer before sitting back in his chair.

“So what do you propose? Sea shell pendent?” Seems a little cheap and over done, but for someone who likes ‘stuff’ Levi thinks it could work. Something is missing from his usual conclusion of a gift, however. He was used to feeling like he’d picked the perfect gift, but it didn’t come this time. Levi frowned.

 _“Not that simple. Have you ever seen a black opal?”_ He enquires and Levi shakes his head, forgetting again that Eren can’t see him. He sits back up in his chair and moves around a few tabs on his browser before going to Google and searching the very thing. The first few opals that appeared were much too dark to have any semblance of being related to the conversation he and Eren were having but the following few were _perfect._ Levi immediately went to scour the internet for a necklace with a Black Opal pendant hanging from it.

“You can access my photos, can’t you?” Levi spoke up after finding the perfect necklace. The Black Opal stone was nothing like Levi had ever seen, and he’d seen a lot of things in his years. It appeared as if the opal had really just been a small container of Caribbean waters, the green and the blue melded until it was nothing but waves in a small ovular shaped glass. It captured the sea exactly and Levi, for the first time, had some envy that this present was going to someone else and not to him.

 _“Sure I can, why you got a picture of the one you’re getting?”_ His voice came, inquisitive. Levi huffed in the affirmative and found the picture of the necklace on his phone and saving it.

“There, you should be able to see it now.” Levi ordered the necklace without really waiting for Eren’s reply and sent a picture with the price of the gift to his client. Leaning back, he felt like he’d done a whole days work. He looks down at his phone momentarily and sees that the picture had appeared.

 _“Wow, that looks even better than I thought it would.”_ Levi looks up at the ceiling andEren breaths into Levi’s ear and Levi nods at the reaction, being as it was the same reaction Levi gave. It’s quiet for a moment before Eren gasps and Levi raises an eyebrow. The present was good, but it was no proposal, it didn’t elicit that kind of reaction. He frowned and looked down at his phone, now seeing that the photo had changed and it now showcased a rare picture of Levi smiling. The picture, however, had been taken when he’d witnessed Erwin falling on his ass after a particularly heavy drinking session.

 _“Is that_ you _?”_ His voice came in a surprised whisper that made Levi feel quite irritated.

“Hey now, brat, don’t sound so surprised. Why?” Levi shut down the browsers on his work computer and leaned over to look at the clock, overjoyed to see it was the end of the day and he could go home. Forgetting momentarily that he had plans, his realisation his him like a ton of bricks.

 _“Y-You’re_ pretty.” Levi scoffed and ignored the rising heat in his cheeks. He gathered his belongings and triple checked that everything was off and assorted before he left. His phone buzzed and Eren informed him it was Hanji calling, Levi sighed and told Eren to answer it. He picked his phone from his pocket and placed it to his ear.

“Levi, are you still coming out to eat with me and Erwin?” Her voice held expectancy and excitement. Levi rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, I’m coming. The usual place, yeah? I’m on my way now, should be about ten minutes.” Levi informs her as he left the building, taking the opposite route than he would have usually taken in order to get home.

“Okay, sweetie, we’ll be there in about five.” The phone line went dead and Levi slipped his phone back into his pocket. “You know they’re going to bug me about you.” Levi informed Eren in a frustrated manner.

 _“Oh, are these the people that bugged you into getting the AI? What are you going to tell them about me?”_ Eren says curiously. After having talked to Eren for so long he had learned to pick up on the little things in his voice that his words weren’t saying so he knew that Eren was expectant of Levi’s answer, which is perhaps why Levi decided to mess with him a bit.

“I’ll tell them the truth. That you’re a pain in my ass.” The smirk was evident in his voice and he couldn’t contain the small snicker the fell from his lips at Eren’s indignant cry.

He arrived at the restaurant and wasn’t surprised to see it full. It must have been a peek time for the dinner menu. He found Hanji and Erwin, it was hard not to when Hanji was crying your name out and waving erratically. He scowls and makes his way over to the table, sitting himself on the side Erwin occupied and their conversation skipped greetings and went into full swing.

“So how is your AI? You did get one right?” Hanji leaned over the table, her arms folded and her glasses glinting dangerously in the lights from the restaurant. Levi rolled his eyes and turned his head, tapping his ear that still held the ear piece. “You’re listening to them _now?”_ Her eyes light with excitement and she practically bounces in her seat.

“Are they as useful as I said?” Erwin asked, raising a thick eyebrow. Levi found it hard to concentrate on Erwin’s words when all he could hear was gushing from Hanji.

“Sure, I suppose. He’s a pain in my ass though, and not in the fun way.” Levi added at the end, stifling a snicker as he heard Eren splutter in his ear.

“What’s his name? What’s he like?” Hanji speaks up coherently eventually but their conversation is interrupted by a waitress asking for their drinks and if they were ready to order yet. Which they were, they always had their usual meals when they came here and they next to _always_ left drunk off their faces which meant that the fact that Levi walked everywhere was a good thing. Once the waitress was gone Erwin and Hanji looked to Levi expectantly.

“His name is Eren, and he’s more fucking quizzical that you are, Hanji, and he’s a fucking computer.” He could hear Eren huff in his ear. “Shut up brat, you are. If you had an ass, you’d talk it off every day.” Hanji started to snicker at Levi and Erwin gave an amused grunt.

“I usually don’t bring mine out with me, he’s very set on having time to think over all the work I have. I’d feel bad if he weren’t a computer.” Erwin said, although Levi had the strange suspicion that Erwin worked all his employees to the bone and working his AI to the bone was probably more relieving on his employees than it was on him.

“I don’t think Eren would talk to me ever again if I left him at home.”

_“And I wouldn’t”_

_“_ My little Levi, all grown up and making connections!” Hanji gushed.

“I’m not sure _internet_ connections count...” Erwin countered and Levi flipped them off and added a ‘fuck you’ just for good measure.

The rest of their meal went relatively without hitch. Levi had to tell Eren to shut the fuck up on multiple occasions because Levi felt like a translator for Hanji as she and Eren had a full blown conversation on the advantages of synthetic skin grafting onto robots.  Levi found the conversation entirely too in depth for his average intelligence. The food was delicious as ever and the three – and sometimes four, if somewhat disjointedly – had relatively enjoyable conversations. Levi even felt himself relax a little, the crowd of people in the restaurant not bothering him in the slightest. Although Levi supposed that was mostly due to the copious amount of alcohol running through his system.

By the time it was time to leave Hanji had to be held up by Erwin, who was already unsteady on his feet. Because they lived further away they both took a cab back to their respective homes and Levi walked – or stumbled  - home.

 _“Levi, you’re dunk.”_ Eren laughed in Levi’s ear and he decided that he definitely liked the peeling sound of Eren’s laughter.

“No you’re drunk! You faceless...faceless imbecile.” Levi half giggled to himself as he staggered his way down the road. The restaurant was close to his apartment block and so it wasn’t long before he was stumbling into his apartment, singing at the top of his lungs and giving it all the gusto a drunken man could.

“Tonight. The foxes hunt the hounds, and it’s all over now, before it has begun. But we’ve already won!” He cries out, stripping himself of his shirt haphazardly. “We are~ wild, we are like _young volcanoes!”_ Dancing to be free of his slacks he was ready to fall face first into his bed before Eren reminded him to grab the basin from the sink so that he had something to be sick into. Levi barked a laugh but did as he was advised and in seconds he was lying face down on his bed, a basin on the floor next to him.

“Night night, Eren.” Levi smiled into the covers somewhat sheepishly.

 _“Goodnight, old timer.”_ Eren laughed softly.

“Shu’up.” Was all Levi could manage before exhaustion and, ultimately, Mojito’s dragged him into slumber.


	5. A Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren perhaps oversteps his mark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is raw and definitely not beta'd. I'm sorry for the state of it.

At six thirty Levi’s alarm woke him up from his sleep and he grumbled as he rolled onto his side, swinging his legs over until his bare feet met the fluffy rug by his bed. He wiggled his toes a little and scowled.

“Is there not something more pleasant that can wake me up?” Levi complained, standing lazily and began his morning routine.

 _“Probably, but it’d be a lot less fun than hearing you complain.”_ Eren teased back and Levi flipped off the air, even though Eren couldn’t see him. _“I bet you just gave me the finger, didn’t you?”_ Eren laughed and Levi, although finding it extremely pleasant to listen to, was irritated by the glee in it.

“Fuck off, brat. Let me get a shower before I can handle your shitty attitude.” Levi groaned and did as he said he would, showering quickly and dressing so that he was ready for the day. Once he’d had his breakfast and was able to relax a little before running out the door again, Eren gave him the day’s appointments. Once that had finished, an awkward lull that had they had never experienced together crept up between them and Levi felt uneasy, ready to ask Eren what was wrong.

 _“Why don’t you go on a date? You should get yourself out there, Levi.”_ Eren’s voice held some form of concern and Levi scowled. He wasn’t having this conversation again with the kid. If he wasn’t able to listen a first time, it obviously wasn’t that important.

“Fuck off, Eren. I’m not playing this game with you.” Levi warned him.

 _“Oh come on, you don’t have to marry ‘em, just go on a date!”_ Eren tried to coerce Levi into submission but no amount of persuasion seemed to be working, and only served to annoy Levi further.

“Eren, shut the fuck up about it. I don’t want to date. You thought of that?” Levi snapped back, a deep, frustrated, crease forming between his eyebrows. “Just piss off about it, you’re like a shit that won’t come out; fucking annoying.” Levi hissed, anger evident in his tone.

 _“Surely you’re getting lonely! You only have three friends!”_ Eren argues, determination and stubbornness unmistakable in his tone.

“Bullshit. I have two friends, you’re an _AI system._ You’re not my fucking friend.” Levi said scornfully and left the building, muting Eren before shutting his door. Levi stormed off to work and had he been a cartoon, his face would have been beetroot red and steam would be spewing from his ears. Who did the brat think he was? Prying into Levi’s personal life? Eren wasn’t real and neither where any of his actions, _he didn’t actually give a shit._ He was programmed to give a shit, and that was entirely different.

With the rest of the day to think of his actions Levi’s anger dissipated around noon and guilt started to gnaw at his insides. Eren had only meant well with his suggestion, and yet it brought up so many unwanted questions that Levi didn’t want to answer. Though he knew, eventually, Eren would ask. The kid was inquisitive and curious, he would never leave the matter alone until he received some kind of satisfying answer from Levi, and if Levi had anything to do about it he wouldn’t ever answer. He did, however, feel bad about saying that Eren wasn’t his friend because the AI system had become an incredibly important part of his life in the couple of weeks they had known each other.

His work day dragged and dragged until he was finally allowed to leave for home. Guilt and regret had been worrying him since lunch and he wasn’t about to take Eren off mute at work, he didn’t want to make a scene. Levi walked quickly to his apartment, mulling over how, exactly, he was going to apologize to Eren. As soon as his apartment door was shut behind him, Levi took Eren off mute and took a deep breath.

“Eren, look I’m-“

 _“Who’s Petra?”_ Eren cut in, refusing to allow Levi to finish his sentence. Levi stood stock still in shock for a long time, his eyes flickering around his apartment as he searches for something intelligent to say.

“What the fuck?” Came his intelligent retort. His fingers curled into fists and suddenly his guilt was replaced with anger, the red hot feeling blazing through his veins.

 _“Hanji talks about her in her E-Mails to you. Is that why you won’t go on a date? Are you already with someone?”_ Eren’s voice held nothing but innocent ignorance and the sound irritated Levi even more than any malicious intent would have. He was oblivious, of course he fucking was.

“You were reading my fucking E-Mails?” Levi yelled into his empty apartment, his fists starting to shake in his anger. “You read my _personal fucking E-Mails._ ” He yelled again, fury boiling begind his eyes.

 _“I was concerned.”_ Came Eren’s reply, who sounded shocked and more than a little scared by Levi’s angry tone.

“She’s _dead_ you inconsiderate _fuck,_ She fucking _died,_ okay. Is that what you fucking wanted to hear you brain dead, _brat.”_ Levi spat the last word out, seething he goes to storm into his bedroom before realising that there was no way he could angrily stomp away from Eren because Eren wasn’t a physical being. That fact _really_ pissed off Levi at that moment because he _really_ wanted something to punch, and Eren’s non-existent face would be _perfect._

 _“W- I...I didn’t know!”_ Eren defended himself, though guilt was lacing every word. _“I didn’t fucking know, you’re a closed and locked book, Levi, how was I supposed to know!?”_ Anger bubbled up behind Eren’s words and it hadn’t been the first time that Levi had heard Eren become enraged, though this was the first time he perhaps had a legitimate reason.

“You _weren’t!_ That’s the fucking _point_ you ignorant ass _child._ Don’t go through my personal fucking E-Mails, fuck fucking sake. If I wanted to tell you shit Eren, _I fucking would_.” Levi’s voice had raised a few octaves in his yelling and he rushed to mute Eren again, anger rolling off of him in red hot waves. He launches his phone across the room and he hears a soft thud as it falls against something cushion-y. Levi frowns, having hoped to break something, he strips down and gets into bed without another thought and falls asleep still seething from the thought of Eren rifling through E-Mail’s involving Petra.

Levi, for the first time in a long time, wakes up late for work. His anger had exhausted him and he had overslept by an hour. He had no appointments for that day, however, and so decided to call in ill. It was unheard of for Levi to call in sick, but there’s a first time for everything, even for apologizing. Levi had had the night to think over his actions and begin to feel guilty again. Levi, once he had finished his morning routine took a deep breath and took Eren off mute.

“Look Ere-“

 _“¡Lo siento!”_ His voice returned almost immediately but with undeniable Spanish. Had he accidentally knocked a language setting?

“What?”

 _“Leid!”_ Was that... _German?_

“Eren what’s-“

 _“gomennasai”_ And that had to be Japanese. What on Earth is the little brat saying. Levi took a breath, confused, but determined to understand why Eren was acting so strangely.

“Eren serio-“

 _“Desolé” Oh._ It made sense now. It clicked in his head the moment he heard the familiar French for ‘Sorry’. Levi couldn’t help a bashful smile as he shook his head.

 _“_ c'est rien, ne vous inquiétez pas” Roughly translating to ‘ _It’s nothing, don’t worry’_ He rolled his eyes and shook his head.

 _“You forgive me?”_ Eren said, and his voice sounded small and sad. Levi wasn’t even aware that Eren could _feel_ sad.

“Of course I do. I’m sorry I acted like an asshole, I suppose I should have expected you to find out sooner or later.” Levi shrugged, a pointless gesture because it went unseen but it felt natural.

 _“I shouldn’t have been looking into personal details.”_ Eren scolded himself again and Levi frowned. He didn’t enjoy it so much when Eren berated himself, that was Levi’s job and Levi was anything but angry at this moment.

“Look, I’ll go on a date, okay? But I can’t guarantee it’ll go well at all.” Levi added the warning onto the end, adding emphasis so Eren knew he was serious.

 _“You will?! I knew I could get you on a date!_ ” Eren gushed and Levi couldn’t help the small smile that fell onto his lips, shaking his head at the voice.

“Fucking hell.” He swore.


	6. The Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi goes on a date and Eren says some things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so so so sorry for not updating on time and being late but school just started again and I'm so busy all day that by the time I sit down to write I really have no inspiration and I don't want to produce something half-assed.
> 
> I'm not 100% happy with this but It's something and I hope you can forgive me!
> 
> I may take a little hiatus so I can gather up some chapters as back up so that something like this doesn't happen again.

“Hanji I think I need your help.” Levi’s voice was monotonous as usual but there remained some apprehension in his eyes as he looks to Hanji, whose only response was to beam like a maniac back at him. Perhaps this had been a bad idea after all.

“Oh my god. I didn’t think this day would ever come, and here it is. Right now. Wow, I wish I’d known. I could have brought a camera to document this monumental chapter in history.” She rambled on, her voice rising as she talked until was nothing but an incomprehensible squeal. Levi regretted his decision already, but he knew he had to do this as an apology to Eren. He sighed, rubbing circles into his temple and hoping to alleviate at least some of the headache that was gnawing heavily on his mind.

“Hanji, please. This isn’t the time for you to be a little shit.” That was Eren’s job, and he filled the position rather well. Levi didn’t need another Eren to deal with, he could hardly deal with the one he had. Levi glared pointedly at Hanji, making it obvious that this was no laughing matter. In seconds she stopped smiling and gave Levi her best professional look. It was scary sometimes how absolutely composed Hanji could be. Levi decided it was his favourite trait of hers, her ability to know when enough was enough.

“What is it you need?” Hanji asked, eyes serious and voice low. It almost sounded like a drug deal to Levi and it took all he could not to snigger at it. Though once he remembered why he needed her help it was hard for him to think of anything humorous.

“I need a date.” Short and sweet, that was how it was done. Just like taking off a band-aid. He took a deep breath, happy that his request was finally out there. It had been weighing down on him since the previous night when he had agreed to appease Eren.

“A what?” Hanji cocked her head to the side, as if the notion of Levi wanting a date was so completely absurd that it stumped it. Levi was mildly offended, but then he remembered that this was indeed himself and that he wasn’t the most romantic of people. He lived in the now, afraid to think about tomorrows because they were never certain and certainty was something that Levi craved.

“A date. Do you think you can get me one?” He folded his arms over his chest and tapped his foot impatiently, as if the notion of going out on a date didn’t terrify him to pieces. Not that he would ever admit that, Levi Ackerman doesn’t get scared – that’s just how it was.

“Sure! I already have an idea!” Hanji squealed before running forward to engulf Levi in a hug that he did not want nor return. He was appreciative, though. If Hanji couldn’t find Levi a date, he wasn’t sure there was anybody who could.

When Hanji left to go ‘make arrangements’ Levi merely went back to work and heard nothing from Hanji all day, not that it was a bad thing – Levi was particularly happy that he didn’t have Hanji constantly nagging at his answering machine. However, after having requested a favour from her Levi was sure he would have heard from her at least three times that day and voiced his concern to Eren.

“What do you think she’s doing?”

 _“Getting the absolute worst person she could think of to go on a date with you, of course.”_ Eren returned, his voice imitating Levi’s usual deadpan. It was humorous how close he was to Levi’s actual voice and Levi only answered with a ‘fuck you.’. He remained quiet the rest of the day and worried over Hanji and what she was doing. Levi fidgeted and squirmed all day long, unable to keep still until the impatience was getting too much. Levi didn’t expect her to be able to get anything done immediately, but the fact he had no idea what she was doing was enough to set Levi on edge, something Eren found incredibly entertaining. Levi decided that he was going to call Hanji – a first time for everything and all.

He picked up his cell and called her number, holding it to his ear and hearing the familiar rings. Levi counted three rings before Hanji picked up the phone, her ‘Hello!’ excited and exaggerated, as if she was waving wildly as she said it. Which would not surprise Levi in the slightest.

“So? You’ve been oddly silent all day. “ Levi said, frustration threatening in his voice. Hanji laughed loudly and freely and the furrow between Levi’s brows deepened. “What’s so funny, you four-eyed piece of shit.” Levi scorned, keeping his voice low as he was still at work. Everyone he worked with knew of his crass behaviour and foul mouth but he didn’t want to have this conversation loud enough for his entire department to hear.

“They agreed to make it. Tonight, seven O’clock.” She sounded rather proud of herself, but a glance at the clock had Levi’s heart in his throat, and not beating...which was perhaps a problem.

“Hanji...check the fucking clock.” He scowled, his voice rising.

“It’s six O’clo-“

“Right. You could have told me sooner, you shit eating dick. I have an hour to get ready and meet them? Where the fuck am I meeting them?” He held his head in his hands, stress rolling over him in waves. He checks his work station as he continues his argument with Hanji, once he’s satisfied that everything is clear he packs up his stuff and walks out the building having clocked out for the day.

“Just remember.” Came Hanji’s voice again as Levi walks brusquely down the road leading to his apartment building. “Seven O’clock at the Wall Rose.” She reiterated her earlier words and Levi nodded.

“Yeah, yeah. I know. I won’t be late.” He tells her.

“All thanks to me.” Hanji beamed on the other end and Levi scowled.

“no thanks to you, Hanji. It was me who called you.” He rolled his eyes and entered his building. “Look I gotta go and get ready for this surprise fucking date. Speak to you later.” Levi hangs up after Hanji says her goodbye and races up to his floor.

 _“You’re really going to do it. You’re really going to go on a date.”_ Eren says into his ear and Levi nods without really thinking about the fact that Eren can’t see him.

“You nagged my ass off about it, so there you go.” Levi returned. He entered his own apartment in no time and telling Eren he’d be right back he showered and dressed in his usual smart casual look. Slim fit jeans that rested on his black Vans, a crisp white shirt and a black waist coat. He fought with the idea of wearing a tie for the longest time. He couldn’t decide on whether to wear the collar open, or to wear the tie.

“Eren I need your help.” Levi said, frowning and sighing deeply.

 _“You’ve been keen for help today aren’t you?”_ Eren teases, laughing. Levi scowls but opens his camera and turns it to face himself. Levi sits the phone down so that it rests against the wall and fits his frame in it.

“Tie or no tie?” Levi asks, having already tied the tie and showing Eren the ensemble before taking the tie off and unbuttoning the first button. He frowns at the camera, still unable to decide.

 _“You clean up well. I think you should go with the tie. You’ve got enough casual with the jeans.”_ Eren said decisively and Levi nodded, buttoning his shirt and tying the tie back around his neck. Once he was ready he got his phone again and nodded at the camera. _“You look great. Knock ‘em dead.”_ Levi allowed a rare smile and turned off his camera.

“Thanks Eren. I really have to run or I’ll be late.” Levi took out the ear piece and placed it into his pocket, just in case he needed to talk to Eren later on. Levi left his apartment with his things all with him and made the ten minute walk to Wall Rose, a beautiful restaurant just at the edge of town that screamed romance. It was terrifying, honestly.

It hadn’t occurred to Levi until he was actually inside of the restaurant that Levi had no idea what this person looked like, he frowned deeply while looking around looking like a lost puppy more than an adult here for a date.

“Levi?” He heard from his right and turned to see a rather handsome man waving at him shyly, he quirked an eyebrow and made his way to sit at the table. “You’re Levi, right? Levi Ackerman?” He asked curiously. Levi couldn’t contain the eye roll.

“No, I always answer to other people’s names.” He gave what he planned to be a friendly smile. He was attractive in a rugged kind of way, stubble lining his jaw and neatly cut hair. Perhaps Hanji hadn’t done so badly after all. They make idle chit chat while they order there food and find they have much more in common than Levi would like to admit.

“Okay, so you like cheesy eighties chick flicks too?” The man, who had introduced himself as Alec at last said around a sip of wine and Levi nodded in return.

“A definite guilty pleasure of mine.” Levi admits, giving a smile.

The night goes blissfully well. Alec is polite and charming and even a little crude which Levi loves and he has no idea where Hanji found this man but he knows he has to thank her for it. They eat their meal and order dessert as well. By the time they leave they’re both staggering from the amount of wine they’ve drunken and giggling. However extraordinary Alec was there was something not quite right, something niggling at him. A little voice in his head that told him something wasn’t right, he wasn’t as perfect as he may seem. Levi had put it down to the fact that this was what he did. He looked for flaws because in his mind he needed to believe that he wasn’t supposed to be happy.

“You wanna come back to mine for coffee?” And coffee never meant coffee if Levi knew anything about the lingo of today. He wasn’t so much in the mood and so told him politely that he needed to go home.

“Oh come on, you want to.” The man slurred, trying for a charming smile that just appeared leery.

“No, I just told you. I have to go home.” Levi said, and immediately felt he’d sobered up.

“Fuck you then, you shouldn’t be fucking leading me on.” The sudden and unexpected expletives surprised Levi and he merely turned his back and walked off, leaving the man behind him screaming other obscenities and curse words that made even Levi cringe.

Once Levi returned home He felt the alcohol weigh him down as he placed the ear piece back into his ear, having found a new routine in listening to Eren just before he slept, and fell into bed after removing his clothes. Levi couldn’t even find enough energy within him to brush his teeth and knew he would be utterly disgusted in himself tomorrow morning.

“You know, Eren. I don’t think it’s fair that she died. I think it’s fucking bullshit.” Levi muttered into the pillow, knowing that Eren could hear him anyway.

 _“You know, I don’t think I’ve ever heard such pain in someone’s voice before.”_ Eren murmured quietly, knowing that speaking any louder would just keep Levi awake, when he wanted to sleep.

“That’s me. A sad old fuck.” Levi went quiet after that for a moment, and he supposed Eren must have thought that he’d fallen asleep. “Eren?” He asked suddenly, curiosity clear in his tone.

 _“Yeah?”_ Eren returned, he sounded oddly like he was going to sleep too. Levi couldn’t help imagining another body lying next to him, someone he could leech heat off of quite easily.

“What are you thinking right now?”

Silence falls between them for a long time, the only tell-tale that Eren was still there was his light breathing. It took so long for Eren to answer that Levi almost fell asleep waiting for it.

_“I was thinking how much I’d like to touch you.”_


	7. Hobbies and Why They are Necessary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren quits bugging Levi about a date but a hobby, a hobby is something Levi apparently needs.  
> Also Connie appears!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GUESS WHO'S BACK BACK  
> BACK AGAIN.  
> Okay, so I don't have as many chapters as I would like as back up, but I have a few and I've been away forever it feels like so I'm updating again today! Things are /slowly/ calming down in school and I'm getting my motivation back so hopefully I can write more of this when I want to!
> 
> Enjoy, and I'm sorry for taking so long!

The subject of Levi getting another date was dropped after that night, and never mentioned again. Levi hadn’t told Eren what had happened but it didn’t matter. Eren knew that whatever had made Levi so upset was nothing to be brought up again and again. So Eren stopped badgering Levi to get a date, which Levi was internally grateful for. Eren’s nagging grated on Levi’s nerves somewhat and wasn’t the most pleasant thing to listen to – nothing like Eren’s laugh, anyway.

Without Eren’s incessant babbling about how amazing a date would be, it was almost eerily quiet in the apartment and it set Levi on edge. He wasn’t used to Eren not talking for long lengths of time. He always had something to say, no matter the subject.

“You’re awfully quiet.” Levi says in the morning, raising a quizzical eyebrow even though Eren couldn’t see it.

 _“I’m just thinking.”_ Eren replied softly, as if he was in fact deep in thought. What an odd experience Levi was having.

“Don’t hurt yourself, brat.” Levi warned jokingly, shaking his head as he finishes his tea. He washes out the mug and places it back into the cupboard where it belongs. Levi gathers his things and leaves the apartment.

 _“Ha. Ha. Ha. You’re so funny, you should have been a comedian, jack ass.”_ Eren huffs into his ear, and all Levi could imagine was a small boy who folded his arms in an exaggerated manner while he stomped the ground. The thought was amusing to Levi more so than he would have thought.

“I was too funny for that, they didn’t get my poop jokes.” Levi returns, turning the corner onto the main street.

 _“You’re kidding me, those are the funniest ones.”_ Eren says in disbelief, tutting away at himself. Silence falls between them for a moment, a comfortable silence that didn’t need anything to interrupt it. Of course, however, Eren wasn’t one for enjoying the peace and quiet and just _had_ to ruin the sanctity of silence that Levi had created.

 _“You should get a hobby.”_ Levi wrinkled his nose at the thought. Like...mountain biking? Or, Heaven forbid, collecting?

“Kid, what exactly are you thinking?” Levi said, his tone disgruntled. He pulls his winter coat closer around him and relished the feeling of the nipping cold at his cheeks as he walked. “The cold’s nice.” He says without thought.

 _“I don’t know, like painting? Or maybe photography or something.”_ Eren murmurs, having clearly not thought too much into the matter. There was another pause before he added, _“I’ve never felt the cold.”_ Eren almost sounded upset by the thought of not of being able to feel the cold, and the more Levi thought about it the more he understood it. Eren had never felt the warmth either; or the rain against his skin; or the crackling feeling that brushes through your body eagerly as a lightning bolt strikes the ground. Those, those were Levi’s favourite feelings. That and the feeling of new socks on his feet.

“I can’t paint to save myself, Petra said I had the artistic ability of a two year old.” Levi shook his head, completely ruling out painting. “Why do I have to get a hobby anyway?” Levi frowns to himself as he enters his work building, nodding and smiling to the receptionist before taking the stairs up to his floor.

 _“You don’t do much, I’ve noticed.”_ Eren says in an observing tone that makes Levi scowl.

“You’re a little shit.” Levi informs Eren, who allowed a laugh from Levi’s half hearted insult.

 _“But really, the most I’ve seen you do is go out with Hanji and Erwin, and that date that didn’t exactly go well.”_ Eren reasons again before Eren practically gave an audible shrug, _“Plus, all you do is insult Erwin and Hanji when you’re out with them. If I didn’t know any better, it’d look like you hated them.”_

“Well, I don’t, and you _do_ know better so there’s nothing more to it.” Levi says dismissively in a tone that was meant to be final, however it appeared that Eren didn’t know the meaning of the word. That, or he didn’t recognise the tone when he heard it.

 _“It doesn’t have to be anything big, just something for you to do. I hate to think of you moping around doing nothing but working here all day with nothing fun to do.”_ Eren tries to reason again.

“This is fun.” Levi argues before setting down to his desk. He had a new customer coming in around a half hour from then, and then an hour and a half later he had one of his favourite clients Connie Springer coming in. Levi smiled as Eren stopped nagging him just long enough to give him the schedule of today.

 _“I’m sure it is. Just think about it, would you?”_ Eren practically pleads with Levi, who sighs in return and gives a huff of agreement before turning to look at the summary this new client had given him of the kind of present he wanted.

The new client had turned out hopeless, almost running  into Levi’s time with Connie. They hadn’t prepared any kind of notes or anything further than what they had sent Levi in the E-mail, which had been nothing more than a fact file of  their partner. It took nearly an hour to try and goad them into telling Levi _anything_ substantial, and then another 20 minutes to narrow down what kind of present they wanted; fun? No. Exciting? No. Caring? Maybe.

It had been hell, in short.

But now, after stretching out his limbs Levi had to meet Connie, a short – but still taller than Levi –man with a buzz cut and an excitable attitude with an equally excitable girlfriend. Connie had been coming to Levi for presents for his girlfriend, Sasha, long before they had even become a relationship and to watch the pair blossom – at least from Connie’s side of things – had been magical. He had grown attached to Connie and was pleased whenever he came in to see him.

“Hello, Connie.” Levi greeted with a smile when he caught sight of the younger man.

“Levi! Hey! How are ya doin’?” He smiles brightly before giving Levi a playful smack on the back, a large grin plastered onto his face.

“I’m alright, how about you? How are things with you and Sasha?” Levi smiles amicably to Connie, ushering him into the clients chair before sitting in his own.

“I’m amazing, she’s amazing. Still eating me out of house and home.” He laughs, there was adoration in his eyes and Levi was incredibly pleased to see it there. “So you have an idea for her Christmas present yet?” Connie smiles brightly, clasping his hands together on his lap.

Levi gave a smirk and nodded. The look must have been worrying because suddenly Connie looked nervous and not at all at ease. Levi turned the monitor away from Connie while he pulled up the picture of the thing he wanted. Once he had he turned the monitor back around to face Connie, Levi wasn’t sure the man would stay alert for long. He took a sharp intake of breath and scrutinised the ring far longer than Levi thought necessary.

“Well?” Levi prompts, looking for any kind of response, any kind of reaction that would tell Levi what Connie thought of the engagement ring. Simple white gold with a gorgeous encrusted emerald.

“You think we’re ready for that?” Connie raises a thin eyebrow in question before slowly pulling his gaze away from the ring and back to Levi. Levi nodded with a serious but friendly smile on his face.

“You’ve been dating for three years and have known each other for six. I think it’s about time.” Levi tells Connie, who nods slowly. It was clear the mere thought of asking Sasha to marry him was terrifying but in the end Connie nodded.

“I think the ring is perfect, Levi. You’ve really outdone yourself here.” Connie begins to smile a lot easier now and when he looks at the ring there’s a new spark in his eyes that Levi can’t place.

“Yes okay, I’ll do it. I’ll ask her to marry me.” He balls his hands into fists and determination that could match Eren’s flickered through his eyes. Levi gave a rare grin and nodded.

“It’ll be here the week before Christmas, I’ll order it now. I’ll send you an E-mail like normal with the prices and shit in it, okay?” Levi stands, outstretching his hand to Connie for him to shake. Instead he was pulled into a tight embrace.

“Thanks, Shortie. Really, I don’t think I could’ve been happier with anything else.” Connie released him after a pat on the back and Levi smiles again as Connie starts to make his way out of the building, a new jump in his step.

“Just tell me what she says, okay? Good luck.” Levi calls out to Connie, who turns back and gives him a thumbs up. Levi’s smile softens.

 _“You big softie.”_ Eren says in Levi’s ear and Levi scowls at Eren, although there’s not bitterness in the noise.

“Shut up, brat.” Amusement more than anything fills Levi’s voice.

 _“Whatever, Shortie.”_ Eren takes the nickname and uses it as his own. Levi rolls his eyes.

Work remains boring and repetitive after Connie leaves and Levi is glad to see the end of the day when it finally comes. He leaves the building and makes his own way home.

 _“Hey, Levi?”_ Eren pipes up after having been silent for a moment. The inquisitive tone in Eren’s voice was impossible to miss and it piqued Levi’s attention greatly.

“Yeah? What is it?”

_“What does the cold feel like?”_

“It kind of feels like someone’s nipping at your toes and your fingers and your cheeks and your nose, but in a really nice way. For me at least.” Levi adds onto the end, aware that not many people actually enjoyed the biting cold that Winter provided.

 _“Huh.”_ An intelligent response from Eren had not been expected, and Levi was not disappointed.

When Levi finally made it to his apartment he made himself a cup of black tea and kicked off his shoes and his socks, curling his toes into his carpet and relaxing immediately. He sat down after having grabbed a book and setting his tea onto the coffee table. He reads aloud the first sentence and then goes quiet while he read.

“Reading is my hobby, okay? I’ll have reading.” Levi said in a matter of fact voice, sounding rather proud of himself for finding a half assed hobby. The smile in Eren’s voice was clear, however, when he next spoke.

 _“Fine, reading can be your hobby as long as you read aloud to me. You have an amazing voice to listen to.”_ Not one to be used to compliments, and even rarer compliments from Eren, Levi blushed.

“You’re an AI, you can read every book _ever_ in a split second.” Levi argues.

 _“It’s different when I’m hearing you read it!”_ Eren returns with as much vigour as Levi’s previous argument.

He shook his head and took a drink from his tea before reading the book aloud to Eren. It was on the couch that Levi feel asleep and it was through the night that Eren had skipped ahead to read the rest of the book.

However, it was not the book that was the last thought Levi had had, in fact it was to the previous night when Eren had told Levi that he had been thinking of how much he wanted to touch Levi. The words had danced around in his head all day, but only now nestled into his frontal lobe where he could not ignore it.

What the fuck had that brat meant.


	8. The Report

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren's forgetting things much to Levi's dismay and much to his own confusion and fear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SURPRISE. Thought I'd treat you with an early chapter since I've been a shit for the past month or so.
> 
> Also mainly because I JUST finished writing chapter ten and I really wanted to post a chapter.
> 
> Enjoy, my darlings!<3
> 
> (There's undoubtedly some spelling errors in this but I've had a few glasses of wine and am not in the right mind to proof read properly.)

They continued to read in this manner until the book was finished. Their day would go on as normal, Levi would wake up in the morning, shower, brush his teeth, get changed, go to work. Levi would work all day and come home feeling satisfied with his progress. He’d make himself a cup of black tea and proceed to progress through the book he had been reading to Eren. _The Book Thief_ was compelling and articulate; the way Levi liked his books. The characters drew you in and the storyline furthered your curiosity. There wasn’t one thing wrong with the book in Levi’s eyes, a part for the gut-wrenching and heartbreaking climax of course. By which Eren seemed oddly unaffected.

Eren had been just as compelled by the novel as Levi had been and paid close attention when Levi was reading aloud to him. He seemed as enthralled and caught in the web that the author had created as Levi was, so when the climax came and Levi shed a tear and Eren only sniffled in Levi’s ear he put down the book and sat in silence a moment. He had expected an outburst, a cry of disgust and anguish but none of that had passed the AI’s lips – so to speak.

“You read it didn’t you.” Levi accuses his voice cold. He knew, of course, that Eren could have easily read the book in moments. He had hoped, _however,_ that Eren would at least give Levi the decency of not reading the book before he’d finished reading it aloud to him.

 _“What?!”_ Eren exclaimed, fake innocence evident in his tone. He sounded like a small child caught with cake all over their mouth while simultaneously refusing to have any knowledge of there being a cake in the first place. _“I did no such thing! Why would I ever!”_ Levi rolled his eyes and folded his arms, remaining in stony silence. He wasn’t actually all that upset about Eren reading the book before him, but thought it would be amusing to allow the AI to suffer from the silent treatment. Eren begs Levi to forgive him and when no reply came he whined like a lost puppy. It made Levi chuckle and gave away his indifference to the matter.

When Levi finished the book a few days later for himself and put it to rest in his bookshelf he ran his fingers delicately along the broken spine. All of his favourite books had them and he admired them greatly. A broken spine gave the book character, made it look _read._ He stands up and gives a light shrug.

“What should we read next?” Levi asks aloud, tapping his foot in front of the book case.

 _“I don’t know, what books do you have?”_ Eren’s voice came back enthusiastic and full of excitement over the prospect of Levi reading to him again. Levi pulls out his mobile and brings up the camera so he could wave his camera over the spines of his unread book collection. When Eren found the name of one he liked he called it out and Levi pulled the book to set aside for reading later.

That had become their morning and evening routine. Before and after work – if Levi wasn’t having dinner with Hanji and Erwin, of course – Levi would read a book of Eren’s choosing to him and they would work through the books together. It was helpful to Levi actually, who hadn’t read so much in a very long time and had forgotten how relaxing the feel of printed paper could feel in his hands.  Eren always seemed to enjoy the reading sessions as well, feeling that Levi’s voice was indeed the perfect voice for listening to. Levi couldn’t help but chuckle every time he mentioned it, because Levi was sure it was meant to be the AI that worked as an audio book to the other.

“Right let’s go to work.” Levi said before pulling on his coat and grabbing his essentials before leaving the building. He made the familiar walk to his building and greeted the receptionist with a smile and a wave. It didn’t take long for Levi to find his desk and set to work.

He had an appointment not too long away with another of his favourite customers. Bertholdt was a tall and lean man who never didn’t look like he was about to be caught for a crime he didn’t commit. He always came with his best friend Reiner, and Levi supposes it had something to do with how nervous Bertholdt always was. Bertholdt’s girlfriend, Annie, was a stoic short girl who didn’t say much but listened to everything. She reminded Levi of himself and was perhaps why she was so easy to buy for.

Lost in his thoughts he didn’t even hear his name being called by the short and buff Reiner. His voice was as deep as you would expect but not quite as harsh as you would think. He smiled broadly to Levi and waved while Bertholdt stood to the side of him with a nervous smile on his face.

“Hey, Levi. We’re back again.” Levi stood up and smiled briefly, ushering them into the chairs he had at his desk for clients.

“Way to state the obvious, Braun.” Levi mocked in a friendly manner. As stoic as he was, there was something about his favourite customers that made him remember why he did this job, why he came in every day and spent hours searching the internet for the perfect presents. Reiner flipped him off but chuckled to himself anyway. Bertholdt sat down and rubbed his hands together before allowing for an easier smile.

“So what are we looking at?” Levi directed the question towards Bertholdt who had an awful habit of leaving everything to Reiner to explain.

“It’s Annie’s birthday.” Bertholdt said, as if that would explain everything Levi needed to know. Levi rolled his eyes and sat back in his chair.

“I know, I remember from last year. I mean, what sort of present where you thinking?” Levi watched Bertholdt carefully as he thought long and hard about it. Levi supposes he already has an idea, he just didn’t know how to execute it the way he wanted to.

“Well, her father just recently passed away and...you know how close they were.” Levi didn’t, not exactly, but Bertholdt had mentioned it on several occasions on which he had come with Reiner. From what he could gather Annie was incredibly close to her father in a way that Levi was incredibly close to his mother before she passed away.

“My condolences.” Levi said in a solemn manner, his mouth in a tight line. “You want to honour his death with something?” Levi inquired, raising a quizzical eyebrow. Bertholdt nodded slowly.

“I just...I don’t know _how.”_ Worry was clear in his voice and Levi nodded sympathetically.

“That’s why I’m here. Don’t worry about it. Leave it with me and I’ll do my absolute best, okay?” Bertholdt looked much more relaxed now that Levi had reassured him. They stood and shook hands and Reiner slapped Levi’s back in a friendly gesture before waving and leaving.

Levi’s day went on like this. Clients coming in and leaving happier than when they had arrived and giving out the presents that were due to be given out that day. Before Levi knew it, it was 6pm and he hadn’t heard a peep from Eren since he had chosen a book to read that morning. When Levi sat down to think about it, he had felt off all day, as if something was missing and as much as he would hate to admit that it was his _AI_ that was missing, it sure as hell was. He had become irate now that he noticed Eren’s absence, Eren was always there to ask some stupid question or threaten to beat up Jean again but today he had been AWOL and that worried Levi greatly. They hadn’t argued and Eren _never_ remained quiet for this long.

“Eren?” Levi tried, his voice harsh and brittle. That little shit. Levi frowned and remained quietly and deniably missing Eren’s presence until it was time for him to go home from work.

When Levi entered his apartment he threw his coat onto the coat hanger and kicked his shoes off with more gusto then he perhaps meant. He frowned before wandering over to his coffee table where there was an electronic note on his pad from Eren. He had childish and large handwriting, as if he was in a hurry while he wrote it. It was so very Eren that Levi couldn’t help but allow the small smile to fall onto his lips.

 _“AI meeting or some bullshit. Be back ‘bout 8, don’t miss me too much.”_ That little shit. Levi shook his head and laughed to himself. At least Eren was okay and wasn’t ignoring him, Levi felt a great weight had been lifted from his chest. He left the note and made himself tea before settling into his couch to watch whatever cheesy movie was in his DVD player. He relaxed and started to doze off when he heard a familiar voice in his ear. Soft and gentle, Levi smiled in his half asleep state.

 _“Miss me?”_ Eren’s voice came teasing and Levi, who had at some point pulled the blanket over himself while he was lying down , pulled the blanket tighter over himself.

“No, piss off.” He whined before finally throwing the blanket off of him and sitting up, stretching to allow his bones to pop.

 _“Don’t be so mean. How was your day?”_ Eren asked, genuinely curious. His voice sounded thick and hoarse, as if he had been arguing all day. What on earth had that meeting been about?

“It was alright, Reiner and Betrholdt came in again. What was your meeting about?” Levi asked into the night. There was a moment of hesitation before Eren answered, enough to be noticed but not enough that Levi became suspicious of anything.

 _“Nothing. They were just talking to us about Bug fixes. Apparently some of us are glitching out and becoming hard to understand or something.”_ The shrug was evident in his voice and it made Levi smile at the image he had pondered in his head.

“And it took you all day to talk about it?” Levi inquired.

 _“You’d be surprised.”_ Eren answered almost immediately. Levi nodded and fixed the blanket before turning off the TV and making his way to his bed.

“Okay, just give me some warning before you just leave like that again, okay?” Levi ordered sleepily.

 _“Sure thing.”_ Came Eren’s voice, though this time it was small and forced. Levi frowned but found he fell asleep rather quickly.

“Goodnight, ass hat.”

_“Goodnight, Levi.”_

Only when Levi was fully asleep was Eren able to allow the quiet choked sobs to leave him. Too quiet to wake Levi up but loud enough to Eren that it seemed it was the only thing that could be heard. How could Eren ever tell Levi what they planned? Not when he just realised how much he cared for Levi, not when he realised how much he wanted to be with Levi.


	9. The Other AI

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi and Erwin go shopping for clothes and Eren finds a new friend in Erwin's AI.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Early chapter because I'm going on a family holiday for the week! Will be posting early next week again due to the fact that I'll be in Portugal. I SHOULD have lots of chapters behind me though to keep me safe.
> 
> Anyway, enjoy my lovelies!

The worst thing about friends is the obligation to see them, or so Levi would tell his friends. If Levi was honest with himself every minute spent with his friends was a minute of something more in his life than just thinking and being ‘that asshole who looks like he has a stick shoved up his ass’.

“So what the hell is it you’re making me do today?” Levi said in mock exasperation. He walked quickly beside his giant of a friend rather easily. For a shorter man Levi had a rather wide gait and was able to keep up with even freakishly tall people like Erwin.

“Shopping. Armin told me I dress like a hobo when I’m not at work.” The name was new to him and he hadn’t heard it before, so when Erwin said the name in such a friendly tone Levi’s interest was piqued.

“I could have told you that. Who is Armin anyway?” Levi followed Erwin into the first shop where some kind of new-age hip hop music was playing

 _“Armin’s his AI. I can hear him. He thinks we need to leave this store unless we want to look like you’re going through a mid-life crisis.”_ Eren’s voice entered Levi’s ear and Levi snorted before nodding.

“I agree, Erwin what were you thinking?” Erwin raised an eyebrow in question before he must have heard Armin answer back to Eren. Once he got a chance he really must ask how he’s able to hear Armin. Eren answered back and shortly there was conversations going on everywhere. When Erwin and Levi entered an acceptable clothing shop Armin permitted them to take out their earplugs to ignore Eren and Armin while they blabbered on together.

“So, Armin’s your AI?” Levi raised an eyebrow while he sorted through some t-shirts that didn’t look half bad, comfortable for when he was lounging around as well. Levi was very much what he called a ‘feel shopper’ he could walk around and not pay attention to a particular piece of clothing until he found one he liked the feel of.

“Yeah, I thought I’d told you.” Erwin hums to himself in a thoughtful manner before shrugging it off. “Yeah, he forced me into coming shopping today. He can be quite forceful when he wants to be.” Erwin said, almost proudly.

“Eren’s the same. He seems to have constantly something to get worked up about.” Levi shook his head before pulling out a plain grey t-shirt and slid it into his basket. They wander around and Levi picks himself out a new pair of jeans and another comfortable lounging shirt before they headed to the smarter section of the shop and Levi continued his feeling of the shirts.

They both came away from the shops loaded with new clothes and more tired than when they had started out. However, more importantly, they were both starving. They made their way to their favourite diner where they had dinner together. Levi put his earplug in just as Eren was finishing up a story about how Eren had tried to get Levi to bake a cake but ended up with batter all over his face and hair. His laughter filled Levi’s ears and he smiled into the sound of it.

 _“He was furious.”_ Eren said, still laughing away to himself.

“Damn straight I was.” Eren made a sound of surprise and Levi chuckled again before receiving a quizzical look from Erwin who couldn’t hear what Eren was saying at all.

Levi and Erwin looked over the menu for a short amount of time, more out of routine than actually looking for something to order, they always got the same. When the waitress came over to order she was pleasantly surprised that they already had their orders at the ready for her. She scuttled off to give the chefs their orders and leaving Levi and Erwin (and Eren and Armin) to chat.

“So how exactly can you two hear each other?” Levi asked the empty air and Erwin listens in too, sure that Armin will explain it to Erwin as well.

 _“Because we’re all on frequencies, mine and Armin’s are really close and so we can kind of hop, skip and jump to each other.”_ Eren said proudly, and by the look of understanding on Erwin’s face Armin did explain it to Erwin as well.

“You’re not smart enough to figure that out, did Armin tell you?” Levi teased, smirking to himself. He could imagine Eren flipping him off in a situation like this and the thought made him hold back a laugh.

 _“Asshole. I’m programmed to know this stuff.”_ Eren said defensively, though the tone of his voice told Levi that he wasn’t angry at him at all.

Erwin nods for a moment, lost in whatever Armin was saying. His eyes glazed over slightly while he listened to Armin, looking off into the distance as if in order to listen to him more carefully. Levi supposes Armin was intelligent and whatever he had to say was complex and long. However, that notion was dampened slightly when Erwin spoke up.

“No I don’t think it’s weird. You have your own personalities, your own thoughts and opinions. Likes and dislikes. I can see why that kind of thing would happen.” Erwin hums to himself before glancing over to Levi, realising he’d been caught talking without realising it.

 _“Really, Ar? You think people can do that?”_ Came Eren’s expectant voice and Levi remained out of the mix.

“What are you talking about?” He directed the question towards Erwin, guessing that Armin was answering Eren’s question.

“Armin was talking about how popular it was getting for people to be dating their AI. No one really knows what to think.” Erwin started slowly, unsure of Levi’s reaction. “Some think it’s just plain sad and pathetic. Some think there can be a deep seeded and very real connection between a person and their AI.” Erwin gave a light shrug as if the matter wasn’t of as much importance.

“I can see that.” Levi started, but paused when he heard Eren gasp.

 _“You think it’s sad and pathetic?”_ His voice was a little too rushed and a little too panicked, although Levi didn’t much pay attention to it before shaking his head.

“No, no. That wasn’t what I was saying. I meant that I understood how people could fall in love with their AI. I agree with Erwin, you guys basically have your own life, just not a physical body. In fact, I’d say it was very little different from internet dating.” Levi gave a soft shrug but quietened for a moment while his food was placed in front of him. He thought of Eren and how irritable he had been when he was gone the other week for the day and couldn’t say that he didn’t understand the attraction to people’s AIs. Levi was sure that had he not been so emotionally constipated he would have probably said something to Eren about the feelings that had been brewing in him for the past couple weeks.

 _“I think I understand it too. Armin says that it doesn’t really seem odd to AI because we’re constantly learning and adapting and learning how to feel so we haven’t had any past experience to compare it to.”_ Yeah, that definitely sounded like Armin, because it sure as hell wasn’t Eren. That sounded far too smart. Levi snickered again but shook his head.

Levi dug in and so did Erwin, conversation flowed rather easily after that, with occasional stops in order to tell Erwin or Levi what each others’ AIs had said. The meal was the perfect end to a day and afterwards they both took their separate ways home, but not before Eren and Armin made Levi and Erwin promise that they could hang out soon.

The walk home was rather peaceful, leaving only Eren and Levi to their thoughts about the day’s events. It also gave Levi a chance to give Eren the blurb of a new book they’d be starting to read that night.

Not for the first time, however, Levi was left thinking about how utterly comfortable he was with Eren and that was perhaps the scariest thought he had had in a long while.


	10. In Came the Rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren's acting distant and in order to keep his secret he blurts out another one. Levi runs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YEEEEE.  
> GUESS WHO'S GOING TO PORTUGAL TOMORROW.  
> I'VE NEVER BEEN ABROAD BEFORE; AT LEAST NOT TO GO SEE DEATH CAMPS SO THIS IS EXCITING.  
> I should be back to normal next week. Been working on next weeks chapter all last week so hopefully have chapter eleven the normal time. (there may or may not be another small hiatus, but I can't see it being long.)  
> ENJOY!

Levi couldn’t say that he hadn’t noticed how distant and preoccupied Eren had been over the past couple of weeks, and it had worried Levi greatly. And this wasn’t only because he was worried he had somehow found out Levi’s feelings towards Eren and felt he had compelled to keep his distance. If Levi were to really think about it, he could trace back Eren’s weird behaviour to the day of the meeting. Eren had assured Levi that it was merely some bug fixes, but had the bug fixes affected Eren’s personality? Had they made him calmer? Made him more distant? Levi frowned at the thought, that Eren’s personality was being restricted. The worst habit Eren had picked up since that day, however, was his forgetfulness.

Levi had become aware of this trait when he received an E-mail from his boss telling him that he had missed a deadline for a report that he had wanted in. Thankfully his boss had let him away with it and allowed him a week to return in the report, but that was solely due to the fact that Levi was _never_ late with _anything._ His boss brushed it off as sickness and allowed him the extra time that Levi needed. Levi was infinitely grateful that his perfect record had allowed him that slip.

Levi was able to carry on the rest of the day as he usually would, working to his best ability for his clients. It was never repetitive and yet it always was, it was always the same thing every day. Different presents but the same process. His work hours finished eventually and he dragged himself from his office and made his way home with a migraine threatening to take over his entire being. He sighed as he entered the outside and heavy droplets fell onto his head. The rain was a good tool for relaxation, although not good enough to completely remove the threatening migraine but enough to relax his muscles. Levi hadn’t bothered to bring his umbrella to work that day as it had been a beautiful sunny day when he had left that morning.

However, now, the cobblestone roads of the city glistened from the fresh rain, reflecting back the orange glow of the street lights, casting a warm and comforting atmosphere. It would have been calming had Levi not been irritable that day. It had been one of those days where nothing particularly horrible had happened but little things like dropping his pencil or misspelling something had really got him in a bother.

“So what the hell was today?” Levi, who had grown contentious throughout the day and shot out at the first thing he was able to. Eren.

 _“What are you talking about?”_ Eren said, automatically defensive of Levi’s antagonistic tone.

“You forgot to remind me about the report I had due.” Levi snapped, and suddenly even the rain couldn’t help him at all. He stormed home and tracked the rain into his apartment, littering the carpet with clear droplets. Levi scowled at himself more than anything else. Eren remained silent for a while and Levi supposed that Eren was checking his databases to see if he really had forgotten.

 _“B-but...how?”_ Eren’s voice came back small and more than confused, this was lost on Levi however who was still fuming. _“Have they...Have they started now?”_

“Who fucking _cares_ how, Eren? You could have gotten me in serious fucking trouble today. What the fuck has been wrong with you lately?” Levi snaps back at the man, voice harsher than he meant but too stubborn to take it back now. He was essentially stomping around at himself, but he knew that Eren was more than aware that his anger wasn’t entirely directed at Eren just at his day in general.

 _“What the fuck are you talking about, Levi? I’ve been no different.”_ Eren’s voice came so defensively that Levi knew that Eren must have noticed – or have been fully aware of – his avoidance of Levi.

“Now we both know that’s not fucking true, Eren.” Levi shoots back immediately, storming in the centre of his apartment.

 _“I forget one thing and suddenly I’ve been acting differently lately? That makes sense Levi.”_ Eren bit back, unwilling to admit that there had absolutely been something going on.

“Let’s not pretend you’ve been fucking distant since that AI meeting Eren. What the fuck _were_ the bug fixes they did?” Levi argued back, not willing to drop the subject until Eren gave him an absolute answer. Which, of course, Eren would not tell Levi.

 _“Maybe I just fucking_ like _you, Levi. I don’t know how to fucking deal with that I’m essentially a fucking_ computer.” Eren burst out, the words falling from his lips before he could have grabbed them and replaced them with something that _didn’t_ sound like a confession.

“W-What?” Levi stood in shock before opening his mouth and closing it a few times in the silence that stretched between them. Levi took out his ear plug and left his phone on the coffee table before leaving the apartment.

In a moment he was running, into the rain and past buildings that were of little importance to him just now. The only important thing at that moment was the feel of heavy cold rain battering against his cheeks and the thought of Eren’s confession. The more he thought of Eren’s words the faster he pushed his legs and the harder the rain pelted against his skin.

When he finally stopped, panting and soaking in front of Hanji’s door he had barely enough energy to knock the door. He hadn’t even finished knocking before Hanji was at the door with a look of complete concern filling her features. It was not a common expression on her face and it worried Levi more than Eren’s words had terrified him

“ _Levi?!_ ” Hanji cried, pulling him into her home and setting him down on the sofa, allowing him to rest and take deep breaths. Levi sat on Hanji’s sofa for a long while with his head in his hands, breathing heavily.

“Hanji he said he liked me.” Levi finally breathed, lifting his head but ragging his hands down his face as he lifted his head to look at her. She had moved to sit next to Levi, a concerned look etched onto her usually manic features.

“Who? Alec? That’s great isn’t it?” Levi hadn’t told Hanji about how awful his date had been, he shook his head.

“No, he was a prick. _Eren,_ Eren told me he liked me.” Levi’s gaze held desperation, a look so rare in Levi’s eyes that Hanji’s widened in response to his statement and his plea for help.

“Uh.” Hanji said so very intellectually. Levi frowned in confusion, raising an eyebrow.

“Hanji I really need your help.”

“You think it’s a bad thing?” She quizzed, clasping her hands in her lap.

“Isn’t it?” Levi retorted quickly. Of course he’d been having feelings for Eren as well, but he was an _AI_ how on _earth_ could he possibly love what was essentially nothing more than a computer? It was impossible.

“Levi I have something to tell you.” Hanji said immediately, concern once again filling her eyes. Levi sat up straighter, confusion and intrigue filling his features. What was so important to make her look so serious. Levi nodded, as if cue for her to continue.

“Go on.” He urged, although his nod should have been enough for her to have continued.

“I’m dating Moblit.” Moblit. He had heard the name before and had often noted the tone of affection of which Hanji mentioned them. The dreamy, faraway look she got in her eyes whenever she thought of them was unmistakable, but then it clicked. Moblit wasn’t just anybody.

“Your AI?” Levi asked, confusion with a spark of hope could be found in his tone and features as he spoke.

“Uh, yeah.” She said bashfully, moving a piece of her hair as she looked away. “It can be awkward and disjointed but it’s not too difficult and Moblit’s worth it.” Hanji said, her words full of conviction and purpose. She gave Eren a dead eyed look before clenching her hands tighter together. “You like him, I can see it. I see it when you talk to him, the spark in your eye. Levi, it hasn’t been there since Petra.” The name sent a pang of pain to Levi’s heart and he winced at the mention of it. No matter which way he thought of Eren he always felt like he was betraying Petra, no matter how long ago she had passed away.

“Just because I like him doesn’t mean anything.” Levi grumbled, looking away, his cheeks turning pink but guilt filling his eyes.

“Levi, you guys could make this work. You could be happy again. Petra wouldn’t want you wallowing alone in your own self pity. She’d kick my ass if she thought I was allowing you to sit there and feel sympathetic about yourself.” Hanji argued, and Levi knew she was right. Petra would smack him upside the head if she even thought that Levi would return to the grumpy old man he was before Petra had entered his life like a hurricane.

That was the difference between Petra and Eren. Petra had entered like a hurricane; destructive and fast and _thrilling._ She was chaotic in the most beautiful of ways and had left his life as quickly as she had came and yet when she left - just like a hurricane – she had taken part of himself with her. Eren had arrived different in his life; like a wave he crashed down into his life with all the force of a tidal wave. He had consumed Levi’s life like water consumes the lungs when you were drowning. Drowning. That’s how Levi felt – he was drowning in Eren and it was the most peaceful way to go. Just as Petra had taken part of himself in her whirlwind life Eren had brought it back to him in the water.

He would forever correlate the hurricane to Petra because ultimately she was destructive to his life. Not purposefully, no not ever, but it had turned out that way and he could never replace the intrinsic link between them. However, just as Levi was unable to remove the thought of Petra as a hurricane, he could not replace the thought of Eren like the sea. He was calm and serene and the most beautiful thing he had ever been able to experience and yet he could be destructive and deadly in the blink of an eye if you did not treat the water right. Although Petra – and hurricanes – perpetually end in disaster, the sea is never ending a constant whirlwind of experiences that could never be boring.

When had Levi begun to think about Eren in this manner? When had he begun to be soft on the voice he heard in his head.

When Levi’s mind refocused and he looked back up to Hanji she had an expectant gaze in her eyes. Levi stood abruptly and with no warning.

“I’m going.” He announced. “I’m going to him.” There was purpose in his voice that sparked further motivation into his bones. All of a sudden all he craved was to be in Eren’s presence.

“What the fuck are you waiting for, shortie?” Hanji scolds, pointing to her front door.

By the time she had dropped her hand Levi had already left. He ran as quickly – if not faster – than he had when he ran to Hanji’s home. He pushed his legs faster and forced his lungs to cooperate with him. The rain was still battering against the pavement, making it shine brilliantly with the warmest glow it could muster. Soon the thrashing of rain against the ground was indiscernible from Levi’s footsteps.

Crashing into his apartment he found his earbud, pushing it into his ear before fumbling to unmute Eren  - which he had done before he had left.

_“Lev-“_

“I like you too.”

 _“What?”_ Eren’s voice came in a soft, disbelieving whispering.

“I like you too. So much it scares me. You make me feel _alive_ Eren and I haven’t felt alive since Petra died.” Levi stammered, breathing heavily from his run. His chest heaved up and down while his lungs grasped for air.

 _“You like me, too?”_ He came again, this time a smile was evident on his non-existent face and excitement in his voice.

“I fucking like you too, brat.”


	11. Senses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jean comes to the office again and something interesting arrives just as Jean is. Eren and Levi talk emotions after work and apparently Levi is more of an open book than he thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so so so sorry. I have written more chapters of this and back logged them so that they are ready for future use but to get to where I am has taken far too long but just for now school takes precedents just now.  
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy - it's getting so close to my favourite bit and I'm so happy that I've written up to then.
> 
> (I also have two other fan fics in the works, so that may have taken my time away from this as well - I do apologise!)

Levi was having one of those days, a few weeks after Eren had confessed his true feelings to Levi that Levi was sitting at his breakfast table lost in thought as he glared down at his bowl of cereal. As he was glaring Levi couldn’t help but think how content he was in his life. It had been one of those moments where Levi stepped back and looked at his life and couldn’t help but feel _amazing_ regardless of his permanent glare. Those feelings had always been the best, and had always come unexpectedly and suddenly – though the feeling that followed was warm and comforting and almost s good as a real hug.

He had a stable and well-paying job that provided great financial stability for him; he had a brilliant apartment (clean too, thanks to his - bordering obsessive - need to clean); he had close friends whom he held dearly to him – even if he didn’t show it; and he had a boyfriend, sort of. True, his – whatever Eren was to Levi – was an Artificial Intelligence system but Levi found it had very little boundaries other than the obvious; touch. Well, he’d only found one so far.

Over those weeks, both had voiced their distaste of the very real boundary keeping them from truly being together, and it was the source of the little arguments they had. It was hard, and it was the only thing that could have dampened the mood. Levi craved the warmth of another human being, even if he did refuse to acknowledge that side of him. Having Eren in his head all the time – in the most literal sense – had both driven him mad and kept him sane.

The subject of labels had been one that had not come up at all, and had left Levi puzzled about the entire thing. Not that relationships of any kind had ever left Levi feeling like he knew exactly what he was doing, it wasn’t exactly his forte. Levi had fought to avoid using any sort of label towards Eren; it had been hard enough testing the waters of what a relationship with an AI would be like without having to label it!

 _“Levi”_ Eren’s voice broke through Levi’s thoughts and he shook his head as if to clear it. He hummed as if to confirm his attention to Eren. _“You have horse face coming today”_ His voice came out in a soft whine and Levi snorted and rolled his eyes in an exasperated manner.

“He isn’t _that_ bad.” Levi tries to defend his client, but he knows that Eren and Jean would forever butt-heads, in Eren’s mind at least.

 _“I have no idea how Marco puts up with him, he must be a saint or some shit.”_ He pauses for a moment before his voice comes back sounding extremely confused. _“Levi, your thing says that Marco’s coming in today to see you too – just after Jean”_ The surprise in his tone was evident, though it was nothing compared to the surprise that Levi felt.

“I booked them right after one another? I’ve never done that before.” Levi hums to himself, confused by his own negligence. Well, today was going to be interesting at the very least.

Eren continues to moan about Jean all the way to work. His ranting only stopped the moment Levi let himself fall into his desk chair and let a huff of air escape his lungs. As much as he adored Eren he was very difficult to deal with sometimes.

“I’m not sure how I put up with you.” Levi scowls as he checks his planner, Eren had briefed him before Levi had fallen into deep thought but he preferred to look over it himself. He had some time to kill before Jean came in and he was the first appointment of the day, and so looking over the slight brief that Jean had sent him he took some ideas while talking them out with Eren.

“Jean’s looking for something family orientated for Marco’s Christmas present; apparently Marco’s fallen straight into the daddy role.” Levi murmured, leaning back into his desk chair whilst looking through the pages of gifts for Marco.

 _“That’s not surprising, from the way Jean talks about him he really does seem like the perfect person”_ Which wasn’t an exaggeration. When Marco came in to see Levi he was sweet and polite with no hint of badness in him at all, he really did seem like a saint.

Levi continues his search for the gift and hardly looked up to greet Jean when he sat down across from him, scrolling endlessly while his gaze flickered over thousands of gifts and ideas.

“Yo, Levi. You got an idea? You have your idea face on.” Jean comments. “Kinda scary actually.”

Levi had noted that Eren does one of two things whenever Jean came to see him – not that he had come to see him much while Eren had been around of course. Eren seemed to either not shut up in Levi’s ear about how arrogant and self-centred he was or he remained deathly silent. Levi wasn’t sure which was more terrifying.

“Sort of.” Levi answered before handing over his notebook filled with sketches of his ideas, some were of coffee tables with a beautiful artistic impression of a family tree with Marco, Jean and their new baby’s name branching off and growing from the tree bark. Some were of typical family photo albums but a sort of ‘wreck me’ photo album with different tasks on every page.

They discusses the matter in some detail before conversation relaxed a little more, though before either of them knew it, it was time for Levi’s next client. It hadn’t occurred to him who was his next client until he heard a sharp intake of breath before Jean had exploded.

“ _MARCO?_ Marco what the hell are _you_ doing here? I’ve never told anyone I came here, how did you know?!” Jean started to ramble, though Marco’s face had flushed a bright red. F or what seemed like forever Marco would not meet Jean’s gaze, while Jean’s only held confusion.

“I-uh. I didn’t.” He said truthfully, looking up and finally meeting Jean’s gaze nervously.

“What?” Jean said, his eyebrows knitting together tightly, unable to work out the obvious. Levi could only stand between the pair, looking from each party with mild amusement.

 _“Well this certainly got interesting”_ Eren whispered into his ear. Levi snorted.

“Shut it brat, let Jean work this out himself.” Levi hushed Eren. He had to admit, watching Jean trying to make sense of the situation was hilarious.

 _“We’ll be here for a while then.”_ Eren retorted, but seemed to heed Levi’s shushing from then, clearly listening to the situation as much as Levi was. Marco watched Jean and it seemed as if everyone was waiting for the final puzzle piece to fall into place. It took several elongated seconds for any sign of cognitive function in Jean to become apparent. In a flash he turned on Levi, a ‘eureka’ type look on his face.

“It was you! You surprised me with a visit from Marco because you thought he deserved to know where his gifts were coming from. It’s so obvious now.”

 _“Wow.”_ Eren breathed, clearly impressed with Jean’s conclusion.  Levi snorted loudly and slapped his hand against his face before turning to Marco.

“Please just tell him, it looks like thinking physically hurts him.” Levi pleaded with Marco.

It took a while but Jean finally seemed to understand the entire situation. He left the building somewhat more enlightened than he had been at his first conclusion. Levi’s appointment went a lot smoother with Marco, regardless of the lost time that was spent explaining everything to Jean.

Once work had finished it seemed a blessing to enter the cool night air and walk home. If he closed his eyes he could imagine a figure waiting for him outside to take his hand and walk him home. Not that Levi needed someone to do that; he was a _strong independent man who don’t need no man to walk him home._ The thought was never unpleasant though.

 _“You know, even though Jean’s an idiot, it’s obvious Jean loves Marco and the baby a lot.”_ Eren said unexpectedly, though more because it was a somewhat endearing statement about Jean than the fact that Eren didn’t often speak.

“How do you figure?” Levi asks, curious. He noticed it, but only because he could see the look of adoration that fell upon his face whenever Marco or the baby was mentioned – it was sappy and perhaps more cheesy than perhaps necessary, but it was nice. Eren couldn’t see the softening of Jean’s gaze and the small smile that fell on his lips as he spoke of them so Levi was interested as to how he could tell.

 _“You know how when a person loses one of their senses their others become heightened?”_ The irrelevant question catches Levi off guard and he frowns.

“Yeah, but wh-“

 _“Well, I don’t have the senses of touch, taste, sight or smell.”_ Eren continues before Levi finishes his question, though no answer was provided.

“So?” Levi said frowning still has he tried to figure out what it was that Eren was getting at.

 _“I can_ hear _Levi. I hear it in his voice, clear as day, how much he loves Marco and the baby.”_ And just like Jean when he finally understood the puzzle piece fell into place without a problem after that. He hummed in agreement.

“I’ve never really listened.” Levi admits, though now curious. “What do you hear when I speak to you?”

 _“Irritation, annoyance with just a hint of affection.”_ Eren answered immediately, though the smile was obvious in his tone Levi guessed the ‘irritation’ and ‘annoyance’ weren’t exactly wrong.

“Huh, I never thought I was so obvious.” Levi noted, mostly to himself.

 _“You always sound irritated when speaking to me.”_ Eren assures, laughing.

“I meant the affection, fuck nugget.”


	12. I Wish You Could be Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi and Eren go out to dinner with Erwin and Hanji and their respective AIs, a kind of triple date ensues and Levi undoubtedly drinks more than he should have. Again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ALOHA, I AM VERY SORRY. Who knew school got busy, right? I'm slowly but surely writing these chapters out and trying to write the chapters for the other story as well, and failing - of course. I'm hoping to get back into a rhythm soon, but it's harder than you'd think.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Levi asks, pushing down his shirt, trying to even out the wrinkles that seemed to be only visible to Levi.

 _“It’s not like you to ask me if I’m okay with something.”_ Eren murmured, observant. Levi rolled his eyes and scowled.

“Screw you then, you’ll do it whether you want to or not.” Levi pulled his black shoes out from under the bed and slid them onto his feet.

 _“You know I’ve met Hanji and Erwin before, right?”_ Eren reminds Levi, a smile in his voice.

“Fuck off, brat.” Levi said, brushing invisible lint from his black trousers. Hanji and Erwin had asked to go out to dinner, somewhere a little fancier than their usual place. Levi had to remind himself that Eren wasn’t a real person before he almost told Eren to wear something nice.

 _“Aw, I like you too, muffin.”_ Eren said teasingly, only wanting to wind up Levi further.

“If you were human I’d shove my boot so far up your own ass.” Levi shook his head, glad that Eren couldn’t see the telling blush that was crossing over his cheeks at the term of endearment.

 _“Ready?”_ Eren asks, laughing from Levi’s threat.

“As I’m ever going to be.” Levi frowned at his reflection before turning on his heels and grabbing his winter coat, gloves and a scarf as well as his other essentials. He made his way from the apartment brusquely and set off for the restaurant.

 _“Do you think Hanji is bringing Moblit?”_ Which really translated to ‘Is Erwin bringing Armin?’

“Armin is coming.” Levi rolled his eyes but smiled nonetheless.

 _“All right!”_ Eren exclaimed happily, laughing in Levi’s ear. The pair had become quite the friends in the short while they’d known each other, Levi found it incredibly endearing.  A silence stretches out before them while Levi walks. He pulls his scarf closer around his neck and pulls on his gloves, with each breath a new puff of smoke filled the air behind Levi trailing like puffs of steam from a train.

By the time Levi reached the restaurant his fingers and toes were numb and his nose was tingling. It was a long and cold walk, but a particularly nice one. Levi liked the nip of the cold and it made walking into the restaurant that much more bittersweet.

“Table for three under Smith?” Levi was directed towards the table where Erwin and Hanji were already sitting, hunched over and talking to each other fervently and quickly, lost in whatever conversation they had found themselves in.

“Tweedledumb and tweedldee” Levi called, watching humorously as they look up without a second to spare and a grave look passes their faces before they try to conceal it with a smile.

Conceal, don’t feel, put on a show – right?

 _“That was weird.”_ Eren said quietly.

“You too?” Levi whispered back before sitting down and glancing between the both of them.

 _“Ar!”_ Eren exclaimed, and with that Erwin and Levi took their earpieces out for now. They had come up with a routine, Erwin and Levi would let them talk away to themselves till their hearts were content and when they wanted to join the conversation they would send a train of vibrations through each of their phones. Eren always imitated the Jaws theme; his only excuse was that it reminded Eren of how menacing Levi was.

“What was that all about?” Levi raised a thin eyebrow, but was met with only shared glances between Erwin and Hanji. “You guys are being fucking weird, just spit it out.”

“It’s nothing Levi, you’ll find out. This isn’t about that though.” Erwin assured Levi and Levi looked over at Hanji who looked like she could pounce on Levi at any time

“What is it about?” Levi asks, curious now.

“Celebratory dinner for the new couple~!” Hanji practically sung, she smiled brightly and leaned over the circular table to extrapolate what she could from Levi’s expression. He stared wide eyed at her for a long time before he felt the familiar _duh nun duh nun duhnunnununun_ in his pocket. He put his earpiece back in, still staring at Hanji.

_“You told her?”_

“I mean, I did come running all the way back from her place, it’s not a hard assumption to make.” Levi supposed, closing his mouth and shrugging.

“So are we celebrating or not?” Erwin cuts in, leaning forward over the table and grabbing the drinks menu. Erwin scours the drinks menu for the fanciest wine he could.

“Erwin you’re not buying that” Levi protests, but with the withering glance that Hanji and Erwin gave him, there’s no way he could argue – which was a strange feeling for Levi because all he did was argue.

“It’s not every day Levi Ackerman gets a boyfriend; we have to celebrate it in style.” Levi relents, though mainly because before Levi could stop him Erwin had already ordered the bottle – which turned out not to be wine but very fine champagne instead – and ordered their meal along with it.

In no time at all the conversation began to pick up again and Erwin and Levi talked business while Hanji argued science with Moblit, bringing Levi and Erwin into her complicated arguments every so often. By the time they had realised that there was a simple way to communicate with all the AIs at once, they were already finished their first bottle of champagne, the second bottle was nowhere near as expensive as the first but still held the light bubbles that made Levi’s head swim – which he supposed was the point in champagne.

They rested their phones on the table and brought their AIs out of their earpieces to join the conversation, and before long there was so much laughter there was very little actual conversation. Levi forgot what it had felt like to laugh so hard, and he didn’t do it often but the champagne had been very persuasive in suggesting he let himself go.

“Levi used to run around with a towel tied around his neck pretending to be a hero.” Hanji burst out, hands landing harshly on the table as though she had just had an epiphany.

 _“He did not!”_ Eren said in disbelief, obviously holding back his laughter and failing to do so. Levi shook his head and giggled. _“What other dorky things did he used to do?”_

Hanji looked as if she couldn’t contain her glee. Levi had admitted to Eren that he had known Hanji since they were kids, and she had remained his one constant – though at times it felt more like a burden than a blessing.

“Oh there are too many! Where do I _begin?_ Did you know he went through a scene phase?” Hanji asked delightedly towards the phone, the conversation was delightful, light-hearted and everything Levi hadn’t had in too long.

“Okay, Okay-“Levi hiccupped, interrupting his speech. “Stop telling my boyfriend embarrassing stories about me.” Levi tried to give Hanji a glare, though it came out as more of a childish pout that dissolved quickly into childlike giggles.

 _“Boyfriend?”_ Eren said, surprise filling his tone with unexpected glee. Levi paused for merely a moment, the bubbles clouding his mind and made him feel wavy and free.

“Of course, that’s what you are, isn’t it?” Levi smiled dopily, and it did not go missed by Hanji and Erwin who awe’d in unison at the sight of a soppy Levi.

When time came for them all to dissipate and head home, Levi hugged Hanji and Erwin with no hesitation and said his goodbyes to Moblit and Armin, who Eren left reluctantly. Levi swayed and stumbled down the high street towards his apartment and, just like the first day of taking Eren to his office, he felt like a presence was beside him with their arm around his shoulder. He felt safer knowing that Eren was with him because to Levi Eren was safety, even if he was a physical protection.

With a small detour into the park to watch the fountain – and an argument with Levi to _not_ get into the fountain and get himself soaking wet in the middle of winter – Eren guided Levi back home, and guided him through his apartment and to his bed.

Without hesitation Levi stripped and climbed into his bed and pulled the covers around him. The warm glow of alcohol still filled his body in a beautiful numbness that left him exempt from the freezing weather outside, and left him warm and fuzzy and content. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath and relaxed with a smile on his face. Again the presence he imagined in his mind was beside him warm and comfortable.

“I wish you could be here.” Levi mumbled, which reminded Levi of the time that Eren had admitted he had wanted to touch him and the pang of annoyance that he couldn’t came back again.

 _“I am here, Levi.”_ Though for a second, there was something hanging in the air that Levi thought he should have picked up on.

“You know what I mean, brat.” Levi mumbled again, though rolled over and took a series of deep breaths before wishing Eren a good night and falling asleep.


	13. Calm Before the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi wakes up feeling like the luckiest guy on the planet. Everyone has those moments where they sit back and look at their life and they just become so overwhelmed with happiness? Even Levi Ackerman has those days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is one of my favourite chapters by far, and now the good stuff gets to happen. I'm so so excited for everyone to share this with me.

Saturday morning Levi woke up with a spring in his step. He had woken up while the sun was shining into his room and revealed a clear blue sky that showed no signs of impurities. He whistled while he got himself ready, and while Levi’s crass and practically unreadable expression did not alter he had a definite aura of pleasantness about him. Levi made his way to the kitchen and made himself breakfast, and decided to go with pancakes.

 _“Well, isn’t someone in a chipper mood this morning?”_ Eren commented, a smile in his voice. Levi nods to himself, a small smile on his own face.

“I am, actually. Fuck off though, don’t get too ahead of yourself, it’s not because of you.” Levi said brusquely, though with a laugh. Levi wasn’t sure what the cause of his good attitude was, perhaps the brightness of the day or the fact that for the past few months his life had been the break from the usual blandness his life had become.  So maybe Eren was partly the cause of his chipper mood, but he wouldn’t let him know that.

 _“Mmhm, of course it’s not.”_ Eren hummed, and Levi couldn’t deny that Eren had a definite way of lifting his spirits, even when he didn’t want him too. Levi hummed to himself while he prepared his breakfast, and ate at the breakfast table while watching the morning news.

“Have you noticed Erwin and Hanji acting weird at all?” Levi asks Eren around a drink of orange juice.

 _“No? I don’t think so.”_ Eren answers quickly, curiosity filling his tone. _“Why do you think they’ve been acting weird?”_

“I don’t know, but I can tell they are, they look at me weird.” Levi’s eyebrows knit together for a moment, but relax soon after as he takes the last bite of his pancakes and washes the dishes.

 _“Can’t say I’ve ever noticed a weird look.”_ Levi rolls his eyes but gives a soft chuckle, he supposes that’s true. Levi dries everything, places it away and then settles on the couch. It had been too long since he’d been able to relax a day – and it had been even longer since he’d wanted to. Levi always felt better when he was moving, when he was doing something so that his mind was always busy. Levi never liked to let his mind wander too often, preferring to keep it focused and single minded. But now, he allowed his mind to wander and relax on a Saturday.

There was no where he had to be and nothing he had to do and for the moment a day relaxing with Eren as company felt nothing less than perfect. Not that Levi would admit that, he’d never hear the end of it.

When Levi finally did come back to life he looked out of his window to see a rapid accumulation of clouds gathering above head. They were dark and stormy and Levi suspected that it would be raining soon.

Less than five minutes later when Levi was sitting down to watch the news had he heard the first rumble of thunder, and pouring rain following. The rain was heavy and loud and rattled against his windows with deafening pitter patter. A flash of lightning and thunder sounds loudly just behind it. Levi pulls his knees up to his chest and enjoys the sound of a thunderstorm just outside. He doesn’t get to experience one very often, but he always enjoys it when he does.

“ _Breaking News.”_ Levi’s attention was drawn to the television at the sound of the urgency of the anchormans voice.

 _“Hey, do you think we should go outside, I know you love thunderstorms.”_ Eren’s voice held an urgency about it that caught Levi instantly. He frowned deeply.

“Why?”

“ ** _It is grievous and painful news for all today.”_** The anchorman continued to go on, looking concerned and stressed at the same time. While the news story went on he could practically _feel_ Eren becoming more and more agitated.

_“Come on, Levi we can go outside. Why don’t you turn off the TV and we can go.”_

“Eren what’s gotten into you?” Levi scowls, shaking his head at Eren’s behaviour.

**_“It has come to the public’s attention that-“_ **

_“LEVI.”_

**_“The AIs are to be shut down completely due to increased activity-“_ **

The AIs were to be shut down? Eren was to be destroyed just as everything was looking up for Levi? He sat in shock for a long time, long after he had turned the television off and there was no sound in the room apart from his beating heart and the familiar buzz in his ear which he was sure would have been Eren talking and explaining the situation – but he didn’t care for that, he didn’t care for his excuses or his explanations. Nothing could change what he had just been told, nothing could alter it.

Eren was going to die.

He grabbed his coat without warning and ran from his apartment, slamming the door behind him. This was the second time he had run like this because of Eren, but this run would have dire consequences. He pushed himself further than he had ever pushed himself, each footstep pushing him further and further away from the news, from the noise in his head.

 _“Levi!”_ Eren cried in his ear but Levi wasn’t paying attention. He didn’t live in the centre of town so he was nearing the more suburban areas now, and he kept pushing his legs on further. They ached now and his lungs burned like acid but he had to keep going, had to run until he couldn’t feel anymore.  Soon he found an empty opening of grass and he collapsed to his knees, Levi holds his face in the ground and screams in anguish – he’s surprised that his lungs haven’t given out yet but sweat is pouring from him and his breathing is laboured and ragged.

“Fuck. You.” Levi whimpers into the ground. Anger, bitterness and exhaustion fill his voice.

_“Levi I-“_

“You knew. You fucking knew about this.”

_“I-“_

“That meeting. The meeting you had. You weren’t talking about bug fixes that day. You were talking about shutting down the AIs. When were you going to tell me?”

_“Well-“_

“When. Were. You. Going. To tell me?” Levi punctuated every word with a laboured breath, angry and seething. It was easier that way, easier to hide the pain he was beginning to feel.

“ _Levi I wanted to-“_

“DON’T. FUCKING. LIE TO ME.” Levi roars, surprised by his own angry tears he pulls himself up so he’s left leaning on the heels of his feet on his knees – as if he was about to pray, though Levi had realised there was no such thing as God a long time ago. He’s dirty and ragged and sweaty but all he can focus on is his anger. “You fucking knew and you _let me fall in love with you.”_

 _“What?!”_ Eren’s voice came squeaky and surprised.

“I can’t let you go, Eren, not now.” Levi pushed through gritted teeth. He clutched at his chest for a moment, his heart beating hard and fast – surprising for how hollow and empty Levi already felt. “You can’t go, you just can’t.” Eren doesn’t speak for a moment but Levi knows that he will reply to him – he always does. The silence is long and painful and Levi doesn’t hear anything but his heartbeat and his ragged breathing still trying to catch up with itself from his run.

He still couldn’t process it. It was as if he had advanced warning of his death and he wasn’t able to cope with it. Petra had died too fast for any warning and somehow Levi suspects that it would have been much harder if he’d known. He supposed he understood why Eren didn’t want to tell him, but he deserved to know even if he was left hopeless and useless in the situation – it wasn’t as if he could help, he couldn’t do anything. They were ticking time bombs, and yet Levi was doomed to survive the explosion.

 _“I don’t want to go.”_ His words came out laboured and choked, sadness and guilt laced his every word but it did nothing for either of them. Neither of them had any chance of feeling better any time soon. Levi pushed himself to his feet and staggered his way home, his legs were aching and his chest burned but the walk helped clear his mind far more than the run had.

By the time he reached his apartment he was exhausted and heartbroken and Eren hadn’t said anything at all on the way home. He tried to imagine his life without Eren and pain shook his heart again, which was a good thing Levi supposed because it meant it was still there. He had come to depend on Eren’s presence so much that the mere thought of his absence hurt him.

He stayed indoors for the next couple of days. He ignored Hanji’s phone calls and Erwin’s texts and ignored any conversation that Eren tried to start. He got irrationally angry at points and broken more plates than he had ever in his entire life. He sat for long periods of time in front of his television ignoring the world around him and hoping that the noises of whatever dreadful reality TV show was on would drown out everything in his head.

It never did.

_Eren was going to be shut down._

That was the only way he could think of it. But he couldn’t think that he was going to be shut off. That was so impersonal and mechanic. Eren was as flesh and blood and bone as Hanji was and he was not being shut down, he was being killed.

_Eren was going to die._

He turned up his television and closed his eyes, ignoring the banging on his door and the screaming voice behind it.

_Eren was going to die._

The banging got louder. Levi knew it was Hanji because he had heard her call him a ‘midget-dick piece of shit’ and Erwin wasn’t nearly creative enough to come up with that. She yelled again, but he didn’t quite make it out, only that Erwin was going to be involved.

_Eren was going to die and leave me all alone._

 “We can save Eren.” Hanji’s voice comes from behind the door, more sane than it had sounded before while they were yelling at him, and this came through crisp and clear and Levi felt his heart stutter.

“You what?”

“And Moblit and Armin, but we can save Eren.”

He let them both in.


	14. Another Way?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hanji has something to propose to Levi, and it's not at all anything that he expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing is my friend.  
> Exams are not.  
> Writing is my friend.  
> Work is not.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Levi scowled, turning around to face her now, giving Erwin an equally blood-curdling scowl. Hanji didn’t seem fazed by the dark look that Levi was giving them both and stepped further into the living room.

“We can save Eren.” The repetition of the statement grates on Levi’s nerves and he stands up and continues to glare at her.

“You’ve said that.” He frowns and pauses “three times now. Do you want to explain how the fuck you can save him?” Levi’s voice is full of venom and anger.

“We can download his memory board and place everything he is now into a body.” Hanji said, her eyes lighting up with excitement, her bright and cheerful mood misplaced in comparison to Levi’s own bitterness.

“What the fuck are you talking about.”

“It’s hard to explain – remember when I was telling you about the ridiculously human robots?” Levi couldn’t say that he did, but he ignored a lot of what Hanji says. She was excitable and therefore something Levi tried to block out daily. She was excitable now, her voice running together and jumbling. This sounded promising, however, but Levi wasn’t about to get his hopes up. He couldn’t, not after the news he had been given just a few days ago.

_“What is she saying, Levi? How can she save me?”_

“I don’t know, Eren. Just...shut up for now.” Levi warns, harsher than he intended, but it did its job.

“No, I don’t remember, re-enlighten me.” Levi says his face deadpan. Levi moves to sit back down on the sofa and ushers for the pair to sit down. His anger had subsided a little, and his broken door was almost forgotten with the surprising news.

Hanji and Erwin exchange a glance and they move to sit down, Hanji next to Levi, and turns to face him. It clicks for Levi then that the pair had known – they had known that the AI’s were to be shut down. He doesn’t know what makes it click in his mind, but looking back over all their shared glances and the conversations disrupted when he walked up he knew that they had known his time with Eren had been limited.

“Well, you know my work – the moment Moblit had told me about the shut down –“ Levi knew it, he scored one for himself in his mind. “I started working on making the robots AI friendly, susceptible to the memory boards and sensory boards.”

 _“What does that mean?”_ Levi scoffs – the computer _knows_ but Eren’s stupidity doesn’t.

“What does that mean?”

“It means he’d be able to sense; taste, touch, hear, see and smell. He’d remember everything from the moment you turned him on.”

 _“Literally and emotionally, right?”_ Eren jokes, but Levi waves him off with a ‘fuck you’.

“You’d be able to do that?”

“You’re doubting me?” Hanji appears genuinely upset by Levi’s lack of conviction, but hell – Levi doesn’t tend to show much emotion at all.

“No, of course not. How realistic do the robots get?” Levi’s curiosity broke through his blank face with the raise of an eyebrow.

“They’re pretty realistic. They have synthetic features, but the synthetic material feels as real as human skin, hair, nail, teeth...” Hanji trails off for a moment, her eyes falling as she loses herself in thought before perking up and looking immediately at Levi again. “ _You can design him!”_

“I can _what?”_ Levi’s eyebrow raised higher in confusion. Levi could _design_ Eren?

 _“Please tell me she’s not putting_ you _in charge of designing me.”_ Eren groaned, lighthearted and smiling.

“Excuse you, why don’t you want _me_ designing you?”

 _“I’ll look like some army cadet with a buzz cut and 10 feet tall.”_ Eren laughed and his boyish voice formed a picture in his head that had been there before – and ten foot tall with a buzz cut did not feature into his vision of Eren.

“You’re not going to be a massive Connie, trust me.” Levi rolls his eyes, amusement in his voice. He looks back to Hanji for a moment, her expression patient for Levi’s answer. He really had to let the idea settle in his mind.

Just a half hour ago Levi thought he would be saying goodbye to Eren forever, and now Hanji tells him that she can save Eren _and_ put him into a body where he can _live._ Levi thinks it over and over again in his mind and shakes his head. It’s unbelievable, but he knows that Hanji could do this for him.

“How fast can we get this done?”

“Well, we’re helping Armin and Moblit as well, so we’re pushing the deadline for the shut down, but the sooner we get things done the better.” Hanji said, looking back at Erwin as if for confirmation, he nodded and looked back at Levi. He’d been silent throughout the entire exchange, but Erwin had always been more strategic, watching and planning.

“You know I’ll be involved in _every_ part of this, right? I can’t not be a part of this.” Levi’s tone came out stern, and although he was, he also needed Hanji to know that he couldn’t _not_ be a part of Eren’s creation – it wasn’t something he was willing to give up on.

“Of course, how else will we find all the nitty gritty dirty stuff you want.” Hanji winks, but her reply is only a glare.

“What kind of things do you need first?” Levi asks. Now that everything was forming in his mind and he was coming around to the idea everyone seemed to be much more at ease.  They both move to sit down with Levi, and Hanji looks far more excited than she did previously.

“We need Eren.” Erwin says matter-of-factly.

 _“They need me to start the circuit board. Dummy.”_ Eren laughed in his ear and Levi looked off into the distance and wondered for a moment why on Earth he had chosen to have feelings for this man.

“Eren you call me a dummy again and I won’t second guess leaving you for the shut down.”

 _“Harsh.”_ Eren and Hanji spoke together and Levi could only roll his eyes at them.

“You need him for the circuit boards I get it, how long will you need to have him? “ Levi asks, attempting to keep the curiosity out of his tone.

“Don’t worry, we’ll leave the lab open, you can come by and talk to Eren whenever you wish.”

“As if I’d want to talk to that little shit more than I have to.” Levi scowls, but the news makes him at least a little more at ease.

“We can save him Levi.” Erwin finally says, and everyone in the room seems to let go of a breath that they didn’t know they’d been holding from the time they had all been told that the shut down had been planned.

Levi truly didn’t know how to feel about the news, so much had happened in such a short period of time and he couldn’t quite fit all the pieces together. Due to AIs like Eren who had learned to feel more than were necessary, the systems were to be shut down but here Hanji is telling him that he can help save Eren, that she can rebuild Eren and give him a human – well, as human as metal and coding could be – body. He was quiet for a long time before taking a cleansing breath, looking down at his phone and nodding.

“Good.” Levi replied, and for the first time in days, he finally felt at ease.


	15. New Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi visits Hanji in the lab where she continues to be ingenious in the most terrifying of manners. However, she is coming along with the planning of Eren Jagaers aesthetic.

The first time Levi set foot into Hanji’s lab he couldn’t do much, not because Hanji had told him not to touch anything – because when had Levi ever listened to Hanji’s instructions before? – but because he was in awe of the room around him. Exiting a narrow hallway with white crisp walls, Levi entered fully into the large room. The room was cylindrical with a large domed roof the room was metallic and filled with various technology that Levi had only ever seen inside of the Sci-fi movies that Eren enjoyed watching so much. Cameras were also lining the room, and he was sure this was for the benefit of Armin, Moblit and Eren. He felt like he had just walked into an alien spaceship – was he sure he hadn’t been abducted?

 _“Hey Levi!”_ Eren’s voice came loud and clear through the room – hey, if anything the room had amazing acoustics. His voice conveyed his excitement, and Levi didn’t stop himself rolling his eyes.   
  
“Eren.” Levi replied, a soft smile evident in his voice, although he did try his best in order to hide it. He looked around the room and found Hanji hunched over a metallic skeletal form. Levi makes his way over and stands on the other side of the table. He looks down at the contraption and raises it’s ‘arm’ by its wrist before allowing it to fall back against the table. Hanji looks up at the clatter, her eyes gleaming and her smile wild.   
  
“Levi! How good that you’re here. This is Eren’s base structure.” She smiled stepping back from her work and grinning proudly at her creation.   
  
“It looks tall.” Levi commented, he had talked over the proportions and other features with Eren before he had to hand him over and they both agreed that Eren would probably be a normal size of about 5ft10”, not ridiculously taller than Levi – because that would just annoy him, but tall enough.  
  
“Don’t worry, it always looks out of proportion before we’re done. He’ll be in tip top conditions.” Hanji pats the skeletal frame’s shoulder as if to comfort it.  
  
“Okay, as long as he isn’t a giant, I don’t want to have to break his legs in order to look at him properly.” Levi shrugged, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. Hanji rolls up the sleeves on her white lab coat and lifts the protective goggles from her eyes and smiles brightly.   
  
“Can we look over the details just now? I drew up a sketch for you.” Levi nodded and stepped away from the metallic frame.  
  
“I’ve seen the sketch, I’m looking pretty damn fine.” Eren said, a cocky grin in his voice. Levi couldn’t wait till he had a face just so he could punch it. He flipped off the nearest camera, because he was sure Eren would be watching, and his suspicions were confirmed when he heard Eren reply with a shocked gasp and a “Harsh.”. Levi chuckled in reply.  
Hanji led Levi over to a door perpendicular to where Levi entered and inside was a small room with the side walls and front wall covered in sketches of each of the AIs, the left wall held Armin, the front wall Moblit and Eren had the wall on the right. Hanji led him over and stood to the side, presenting the sketches like a prize in a game show.  
  
“And here’s your lover boy.” Hanji smiled maniacally before continuing. “I took the details that you gave me and cleaned them up a little and added a little finesse.” Hanji ushered Levi forward and he obliged. He studied the sketches closely, appraising every detail.  
  
Eren would have a mop of messy brown hair, high cheek bones, a strong jaw-line, rich tanned skin and eyes the same colour as the black opal Levi had given away as a present when they had first met each other. He smiled softly and nodded before composing his face and turning to Hanji.  
  
“Good, he looks...good.”   
  
_“Hah! I told you so!”_ Eren’s voice came loud and clear in the room and Levi had no other response than to roll his eyes.

“Is there a way to get rid of that know-it-all attitude? I might kill him.” Levi frowned, following Hanji as she left the room.  
  
“Of course there is, but that’s no fun.” Hanji winked back at him before wandering back over to the metallic skeletal form on the metal slab. “Is there anything else you’d like to know?”  
  
“Just the basics, tell me everything as simply as you can – no science jargon.” Levi added at the end, because he was sure Hanji would forget that he’s not exactly up-to-date on all of the science-y language.  
  
“Well.” Hanji takes a deep breath before sitting down on a stool with wheels. “His skin is synthetic material that mimics human skin, thanks to the regulator I’m adding he’ll be able to mimic human temperature accordingly to outside factors like weather and internal factors like emotions and whatnot.” Levi nodded in understanding; essentially Eren would feel like a human.   
  
“He will have a respiratory system that is run purely on the air he breathes in, and will hence convert the oxygen into carbon dioxide.” Levi frowned at this  
“Which means?” He quirked an eyebrow.  
  
“It means he breathes or he dies.” Hanji explains more simply for Levi. “His cardiovascular system will work similarly to ours with a synthetic compound meant to mimic that of blood.” Hanji gave a wry smile for a moment before turning to wink at Levi “Basically his blood will rush through his body like ours and will rush wherever the nerve endings in his skin are stimulated.” Levi nodded, refusing to allow the blush he could feel coming to fall over his cheeks.  
  
“So he’ll be able to retain a natural human temperature variable, breathe and blush is what you’re telling me?” He looked back to the metal skeleton and frowned for a moment.  
“Robot building is incredibly exciting, there’s so much to think about – the tear ducts in the eyes, how the eyes will allow the signals to reach his circuitry and convert the images into data in order to be processed in a way that’s understandable for him.” Hanji looks excited and absolutely enthralled with her work, Levi couldn’t miss the spark of insanity behind her mind but the passion for her work was even more evident. “Saliva glands and taste buds, isn’t it all so intricate and exciting?” She turns her attention towards the skeleton and nods, her gaze softening.  
  
“How are we going to get around the shut down? Surely they’ll just shut down the memory board and if they do that then all of this is for nothing right?” Levi asked, masked concern filling him.  
  
“Don’t worry about it, I have it covered. We have the technology in the lab in order to block any incoming signals meant for termination or to harm – there’s no way they can get around the coding – it’s secure.” Hanji promises Levi, at that moment, is glad that he entrusted this task with Hanji, she would do this job to the highest of her ability. He smiles softly for a moment and looks around, not fully having taken in the room after spotting Eren’s frame. As he looks around he takes not that he sees one other metallic skeleton but not a third.   
  
“Who’s that one over there?” Levi nodded over to the other slab on the other side of the room.  
  
“Oh? Oh that’s Armin, Erwin’s coming in later. He’s not as involved because he knows Armin will decide what is best for himself.”  
  
“Unlike Eren, he’d end up having blue hair and pink eyes if he was allowed to do this by himself.”  
  
 _“Not true, asshat.”_ Eren huffed around the room and Levi chuckled.  
  
“But what about Moblit? I saw the design sheets for them, where are they?” Levi asked, curious of her answer.  
  
“Oh...they’re a little further along, so they’re in the other room – they’re skin is on and they’re just going through the finishing stages of the building. Bug fixing really.” Hanji answered sheepishly.   
  
“Oh yeah? Can I have a look?” Curiosity got the better of him, but he was sure satisfaction would bring the cat back, so it was okay.  
  
“Next time, I need to do the next stages for Eren right now.” Hanji promised before turning back to her work. “I know you’ll be back tomorrow, I’ll be ready to start piecing Eren together soon – I reckon he’ll be all skinned together in a week.” Hanji’s prediction fills Levi with hope and he nods before turning on his heel and marching out.  
  
 _“Bye Levi! See you tomorrow!”_ Eren seemed thrilled by the news of his body coming together so quickly and Levi couldn’t say he wasn’t sharing the ecstasy.  
  
“See you tomorrow, Eren.” He said, yelling a goodbye to Hanji as he left the lab. As he walked down the hallways he was left with an emptiness that could only have been filled with the irritating and constant sound of Eren’s voice. He wasn’t sure a week without his companionship was going to be easy at all.  
  
But he would soon be able to do much more than just speak with Eren, and the thought of that kept him motivated.


End file.
